Three Thinking of You's

I’ve been working on catching up with the last three weeks of Viva la Verve sketch/inspiration challenges and I’m finally done! All three cards have a thinking of you theme, so I’ll share them together in this post.

Here’s my card for week 3. I made a small 4 ¼” square card using the pretty flower image from Verve's Kind Words as my focal image. I used a combination of markers and ink pads to get the two colors on the flower image. The sentiment, from Always on my Mind, is stamped in green ink that matches the flowers’ stems.

I paired the flower image with coordinating patterned papers from Papertrey Ink’s Pretty Pastels collection. I added a solid yellow circle underneath the image panel—probably should have fancied it up a little with some embossing, but it’s too late now . . .

Materials Used:
Kind Words and Always on my Mind stamp sets (Verve Stamps); So Saffron and Certainly Celery Classic inks, Certainly Celery marker, Very Vanilla and Close to Cocoa cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Spring Moss and Harvest Gold cardstock, Pretty Pastels designer paper, Harvest Gold satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink); circle punch (Marvy Uchida)

This card’s for week 4. I was inspired by the colors and leaf pattern in one of the inspiration photos.

I used a trio of patterned papers from the My Mind’s Eye Bloom and Grow line for my card. The colors aren’t an exact match for the greens and blues in the photo, but their leafy prints captured some of the photo’s elements.

I used the same floral image in this card, again inking the image with a combination of markers and an ink pad. There’s probably not a real flower that’s this shade of blue-green, but I really like the look of the bolder blue against the softer shades on the rest of the card. I used a sentiment from Accent Notes at the upper right corner of the image panel and added dots of Liquid Pearls to the flower centers. I added a pair of aqua ribbon tabs under the image panel before adding it to the cardfront.

Materials Used:
Kind Words and Accent Notes stamp sets (Verve Stamps); Pacific Point and Certainly Celery Classic inks, Certainly Celery marker, Pear Parfait and Whisper White cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Aqua Mist cardstock, Aqua Mist grosgrain ribbon (Papertrey Ink); Bloom and Grow designer paper (My Mind’s Eye); White Opal Liquid Pearls (Ranger); pearl Dew Drops (Robin’s Nest)

And, here’s my final card for this month’s sketches. I used one of the pretty butterflies from the Blue Skies set as my focal image. The butterfly is colored with Copic markers using shades of yellow and orange. I added a sentiment using one of the stamps that Julee included with one of my recent Verve orders.

The rest of the card is pretty simple. The colors came from one of the inspiration photos. I loved the rich, earthy colors. I also used a patterned paper with a design that’s similar to the design on one of the throw pillows in the sofa. To keep the focus on the butterfly, I used a trio of cream ribbon tabs along with some paper piercing as my only embellishments. I have a co-worker who recently asked for some get well cards, so I think I'll bring these in to her--I think they'd all work nicely for that purpose.

Materials Used:
Blue Skies stamp set (Verve Stamps); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Dusty Durango and Soft Suede cardstock, Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon (Stampin’ Up!); cream cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Bloom and Grow designer paper (My Mind’s Eye)

I See Presents

Here’s my card for this week’s Our Craft Lounge sketch challenge. I used one of OCL’s latest releases, Crystal Clear, for my card. This set will be a lot of fun for birthday cards.

I colored the fortune teller image with Copic markers to coordinate with the star patterned paper from SEI’s Happy Day designer paper. I added a little Glossy Accents to the crystal ball for a glass like look and created a jewel at the center of her turban using some gold Liquid Pearls. The stars on the cloth covering her table are glittered up with a Spica pen--my night-time, dreary rainy weather photo didn't do a great job of capturing the sparkle . . .

The star paper runs along the bottom of the image panel. I ran a strip of coordinating glimmer ribbon across the top of the paper for a little sparkle. The sentiment is on a layered circle panel and attached to the image panel. A tiny bow sits at the top of the sentiment panel. I set the finished image panel on the cardfront with some foam tape to add some interest to the otherwise simple design.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Crystal Clear stamp set, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (E0000, E000, E00, BG10, BG11, BG32, R20, YR21) and Gold Spica pen, Ranger Glossy Accents and Gold Pearl Liquid Pearls, SEI Happy Day designer paper, Creative Impressions mint glimmer ribbon, Bow Easy, Spellbinders circle dies

other: Hawaiian Shores and Harvest Gold cardstock (Papertrey Ink); corner rounder (Stampin’ Up!); foam tape

The Apple of My Eye

Here's my card for today's SCS sketch challenge, featuring one of the newest digi images in the Chicken Girl Design line from i {heart} papers. I combined the adorable elephant image with the colors from this week's Color Throwdown for this fun fall card.

I resized the Apple of my Eye image, then printed it on white cardstock. It's colored with Copic markers in gray for the elephant and reds and greens for the apples and basket. Once I'd finished coloring, I coated the apples with some Glossy Accents for a shiny look.

The image is paired with red and pumpkin-ish designer papers from Crate Paper's School Spirit and Restoration lines. I added some orange baker's twine, wrapped around the bottom patterned paper panel and tied in a bow, before setting the image panel on the cardfront using foam tape.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Chicken Girl Design Apple of my Eye digi image, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (C00, C-1, C-3, C-5, W00, W-1, R000, R00, R12, R22, R24, Y35, YR04, YG91, YG95, YG97 ), Ranger Glossy Accents, Crate Paper School Spirit and Restoration 6 x 6 pads, Jillibean Soup baker's twine

other: Riding Hood Red and Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin' Up!); foam tape

Make Your Own Topiary

Before we introduce the newest release on Saturday (how is it October already??!!), I have one final project featuring Topiaries, September’s Stamp of the Month from Clear and Simple Stamps. If you want to add this set to your collection, you have a few more days to use the discount code CSS0910 for a $1 discount on your purchase of the set.

Here’s my Topiaries-inspired project. I made my own faux topiary using a plain Styrofoam ball and a bunch of small cardstock circles. This was so easy to do and turned out great. I started by punching out a bunch of circles from a piece of Kraft Like a Rockstar Green cardstock. Once I had a good pile going, I started pinning them to the Styrofoam ball using plain straight pins. I kept at it until the ball was almost completely covered, leaving just a tiny uncovered space so I could easily poke the end of a dowel through the ball to stand it up in my small flower pot. I painted the dowel brown with acrylic paint first to fit nicely with my color scheme. To hold the dowel securely in place, I squeezed some floral foam into the bottom of the little flower pot. I also cut a circular piece of Kraft Like a Rockstar Green to fit the inside of the flower pot to cover the floral foam. I threaded the circle on to the dowel before sticking the end down into the floral foam, then tied a pretty bow around the dowel at the base of the topiary. A squirt or two of Sparkle Shimmer Spritz added a fun sparkle to the project.

Now comes the stamping part. I stamped one of the topiary images along with one of the pots on a cream panel using Espresso Your Style ink. I inked around the edges with brown ink, then attached it to an Espresso Your Style panel before machine stitching underneath the image. The panel is embellished with a pair of buttons. I punched a hole through the top and ran some twine through it. I used the twine to attach my simple tag to the topiary through the knot in the bow. The topiary and matching tag make a lovely gift for someone like me who does not have a green thumb--LOL!

Materials Used:
Topiaries stamp set, Espresso Your Style ink, Espresso Your Style, Kraft Like a Rockstar Green, and On the Catwalk Cream cardstock, Espresso Your Style satin ribbon, Espresso Your Style buttons (Clear and Simple Stamps); Creamy Caramel Classic ink (Stampin’ Up!); ¾” circle punch (EK Success); Sparkle Shimmer Spritz (Tsukineko); twine (Papertrey Ink); brown acrylic paint; clay pot; Styrofoam ball; straight pins; dowel; floral foam

Happy, Scrappy Fall

***Scroll down to the post below for my card for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.***

Here’s my card for this week’s Unity Addict’s challenge. The challenge was an inspiration challenge, based on a photo featuring a cluster of pumpkin shaped candles.

I didn’t have too many pumpkin stamps in my Unity collection (with the amount that I have, I’m not sure how that can be—LOL!), so I used just one, this stitched pumpkin image from last September’s Kit of the Month. I colored the image with Copic markers and added a soft yellow glow around the image, a small nod to the candle flames in the inspiration photo.

I used this week’s Hip Hop sketch challenge for my card’s layout. Instead of paper strips, I used a variety of ribbon scraps in different widths and textures. I mixed different shades of earthy greens and oranges and stitched them in place with my sewing machine, matching the stitching on the pumpkin image. The image panel is attached over the ribbon strips. I stamped the “happy fall” sentiment from the September Stampin’ Store Kit directly on the cardfront in a deeper green ink to complete the card.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Unity Stamp Co. September Stampin’ Store Kit--Harvest of Memories & Learning {Year by Year}, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (YR00, YR12, YR15, YG25, E31, E34, E35, Y0000, Y000, Y11, W00, W-1), May Arts orange corduroy ribbon, celery green striped twill, and orange ric rac, Alexx Kesh green herringbone twill, Spellbinders circle dies

other: September Kit of the Month-Go Ahead . . . Wish! (Unity Stamp Co.); Always Artichoke Classic ink, Pear Pizzazz cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); sewing machine

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #93-Happy New Baby

This is my last week as Mercy’s guest Muse for her weekly sketch challenges. I’ve really enjoyed playing along with the Muses this month–thanks so much to Mercy for inviting me! Here’s the sketch we’re using for this week’s challenge.

I ended up flipping the sketch to come up with this sweet baby card. All of those panels just screamed “quilt” to me, and when I thought of quilts, I thought of babies. I used a trio of animals from Unity’s July 2010 Kit of the Month. Each animal was inked with a marker to get the different colored images. I stamped the trio on a white panel, then added the “happy new baby” sentiment below in a slightly darker blue ink.

I used two different patterned papers from a DCWV matstack for the panels on my cardfront. It took a little playing with the dimensions of each panel before I came up with an arrangement that I was happy with and that was even, too—LOL! I stitched the panels in place with my sewing machine before adding the image panel with foam tape. I used a slot punch to punch an opening in the image panel and threaded a scrap of twill tape through it. The twill is secured with some baker’s twine and a matching button for a fun embellishment.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the talented Muses have created using this week’s sketch. Here’s where to find them:
Mercy Kerin
Cindy Haffner
Jackie Pedro
Jessica Diedrich
Julie Lacey
Pam Speidel
Pam Varnell

Materials Used:
July 2010 Kit of the Month-Happily Ever After (Unity Stamp Co.); Marina Mist Classic ink, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, and Certainly Celery markers, Pear Pizzazz, Marina Mist, and Whisper White cardstock, Certainly Celery twill, horizontal slot punch (Stampin’ Up!); Flower Shower matstack (DCWV); Simply Chartreuse button (Papertrey Ink); baker’s twine (Divine Twine); foam tape; sewing machine

Super Birthday Scene

Here’s my card for this week’s My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club challenge to “make a scene.” I love doing that with MFT’s Pure Innocence images and Die-Namics dies! Here, I combined Super Boy and some Die-Namics with this week’s Taylored Expressions sketch challenge for a fun little boy birthday card.

The boy is stamped on white cardstock, colored with Copic markers, and cut out. I made a simple sky background on a blue panel with white felt die cut clouds and a strip of grass. The image is attached to the panel with foam tape. I added a pinking edged circle panel below the scene before attaching it to the cardfront.

The cardfront is covered in papers that coordinate with the boy’s colors. I used a solid red strip along the left edge of the panel and a big dotted pattern on the right. A star strip—perfect for a superhero theme—divides the two panels. I stamped the “have a super birthday” sentiment on a scrap of light blue cardstock and cut the words apart before adding them to the cardfront.

Materials Used:
Pure Innocence Super Boy stamp set, cloud, grass, and star border Die-Namics (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, Crushed Curry, and Pacific Point cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Flower Shower matstack (DCWV); circle and pinking circle dies (Spellbinders); felt; foam tape

Thanks for the Lift

Here's my card for this week's SCS clean and simple challenge. This week's challenge is a sketch, based on this card by my fellow DT member Charlene.


I turned to my Across the Miles set from Clear and Simple Stamps for my version of the sketch. I used shades of greens and blues, along with a pop of bright patterned paper for the balloon.

I created a simple sky backdrop for the balloon with a light blue panel and a big, fluffy felt cloud. The balloon is stamped on the panel and the top is paper pieced with a scrap of My Mind's Eye designer paper. I used foam tape to attach the balloon to the panel for a dimensional look. The "thanks for the lift" sentiment is stamped in blue ink at the bottom of the panel.

The green strip that runs across the card, underneath the sky scene, is punched with a zig zag edged punch that mirrors the pattern on the balloon. I wrapped some coordinating baker's twine around the strip and added a button to secure the twine.

Materials Used:
Across the Miles stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Trendsetter Blue cardstock,Simply Blue-tiful button (Clear and Simple Stamps); Hawaiian Shores ink, Hawaiian Shores cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Certainly Celery cardstock (Stampin' Up!); So Sophie designer paper (My Mind's Eye); zig zag border punch (EK Success); baker's twine (The Twinery); foam tape

Paradise

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. It's based on this card that also features a sailboat image. I used the boat image from the Juniper and Jupiter Go to the Beach collection from Starving Artistamps for my version of the card.

The boat is carefully cut out (my new, super-sharp craft knife really helped here) and added to the watery scene. I used two different colors of scallop edged papers for the water, layered with foam tape on a lighter blue background panel. The darker blue scallop edged strip is wrapped with some red and white baker's twine that's secured with a blue button. I added the "another day in paradise" sentiment to the panel, too.

The card had a lot of open space at the top, so I decided to fill some of it in. I die cut a sun and a cloud from felt to add to the sky to complete my summery scene.

Materials Used:

Juniper and Jupiter Go to the Beach, Tropics Sentiments stamp sets (Starving Artistamps); white cardstock (Couture Cardstock); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, and Bashful Blue cardstock, scallop border punch (Stampin' Up!); sun, cloud dies (My Favorite Things); Enchanted Evening and Lemon Tart buttons (Papertrey Ink); baker's twine (The Twinery); foam tape; felt

Spooky Window

I'm getting Sunday off to a spooky start with my card for this week's Paper Craft Planet sketch challenge, courtesy of Wendy. Her sketch includes a nice, big window for a sentiment along with an accent at the window's edge.

I made this simple but fun Halloween card using a large sentiment from a Unity kit (I think it's a retired one) in the window. The "spooky" is stamped tone on tone in orange ink.

The window's visible through a cardfront that's covered with some dotted paper. I added a ribbon to the top of the panel and slid a drippy goo punched strip underneath the ribbon. There's a limited amount of time each year that I can use this punch, so I'm going to try to squeeze it in on a few cards over the upcoming weeks--LOL!

I framed the window with a purple border. A sparkly chipboard spider web is at the bottom of the window. I added a spider button as a fun accent. I got a big bag of these (with some bats mixed in), so you'll probably be seeing a few of these guys around soon, too.

If you play along with this week's sketch challenge, be sure to use the keyword sk092510 when you upload your card to the PCP gallery so your card can be added to the album with the rest of this week's creations.

Materials Used:

Oh Spooky Day stamp set (Unity Stamp Co.); Orange Zest ink (Papertrey Ink); Elegant Eggplant, Pumpkin Pie, and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Recollections Halloween designer paper (Michaels); circle dies (Spellbinders); Spooktacular Chipbox (K & Company); Drippy Goo border punch (Martha Stewart); black satin ribbon (Target); spider button

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

The theme for this month’s Papertrey Ink blog hop is tips. I scan a lot of blogs through my reader every day, making notes in a little notebook of color combinations that catch my eye, layouts I like, and other things I’d like to try in my own crafting. Unfortunately, I’m not always too good at noting where all of that inspiration comes from . . .

So, with that in mind, I can’t share the originator of this little tip, but it’s one I’ve used for a while now to make it easier to make those fun little flag-ended accents for cards. I love to use them for sentiment panels, as I did on the card I’ll share later on in my post.

Here’s the tip: Use your square punch to make a notch in the end of a strip of cardstock. Inserting the strip into the punch at the corner on an angle and pressing down will take out a triangle-shaped piece. Much easier—and more even—than if you did it with scissors.

Here’s my example on a card. I made this sympathy card for my co-workers to sign and give to a colleague who recently suffered a loss in her family. I used soft pastel colors and images from Turning a New Leaf and Beautiful Blooms II to create the floral panel. The center of each flower is dotted with some matching Liquid Pearls for a little shine and dimension. One of the sentiments from Through the Trees is stamped on my sentiment flag and accented with a button that’s tied with a scrap of pink grosgrain ribbon.

Materials Used:
Turning a New Leaf, Beautiful Bloooms II, and Through the Trees stamp sets, Sweet Blush and Ripe Avocado inks, Sweet Blush, Ripe Avocado, and Spring Moss cardstock, button (Papertrey Ink); pink grosgrain ribbon (Stampin’ Up!); square punch (EK Success); Pink Petal Liquid Pearls (Ranger)

Shoebox Swap Saturday

My friend Michele and I are off to a fun day of stamping at a shoebox swap. It’s been a while since I went to one of these since it’s a long time for Chloe the cutie puppy to be at home all alone. But, now that she’s growing up (can you believe that she’s already 8 months old??), I think she can handle it for a day. I’m looking forward to catching up with some of my stamping buddies!

Here’s the card I prepared to take with us. It’s a recent publication reject, but one I was really happy with, so I decided to use it as my card for the swap with a few minor changes to the colors and layout.

I used the hot air balloon image from the Across the Miles set from Clear and Simple Stamps as my focal image. Here, the balloon’s top is colored with Copic markers, cut out, and added to the image panel with foam tape. For my swap version, the balloon is paper pieced with some patterned paper to save time. A die cut felt cloud adds a little texture to the sky behind the balloon.

The set’s “love is in the air” sentiment is stamped in red ink on a small white panel. It’s accented with a heart brad at one end and set on the card so it overlaps the image panel just a little.

Materials Used:
Across the Miles stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Trendsetter Blue, Kraft Like a Rockstar, and A Blanc Check cardstock (Clear and Simple Stamps); Real Red Classic ink (Stampin’ Up!); heart brad (Recollections); cloud die (Papertrey Ink); white felt; foam tape

Sweet Bellarific Friday

***Scroll down to the post below for my Blogger Challenge/Friends with Flair post.***

Here’s my card for this week’s Bellarific Friday from Stamping Bella. This week’s challenge was to use paper piercing or stitching. I did a little of both on my card.

The Baykahbella image is stamped on a white panel. The images are colored with Copic markers. I added the “sweet” sentiment on a flagged panel and used a paper piercing/faux stitching combination as an accent on the panel.

Something about the baking theme of the image made me think of gingham, so I found a piece of reddish gingham paper for the cardfront. I layered the colored image on a blue panel, then backed it with a red paper pierced panel before placing it on the patterned paper. The image’s pretty large, so I decided to leave well enough alone and not add any more “stuff” to the card.

I’m off to my kitchen to do a little baking of my own—blueberry bread to bring to a shoebox swap tomorrow. I think Chloe the cutie puppy will be shocked to see the oven in use . . .

Materials Used:
Baykahbella image and sentiment from Cuppycake with a Sprinkle on Top (Stamping Bella); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Brocade Blue and Cherry Cobbler cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Flower Shower matstack(DCWV); white pen (Ranger)

Blogger Challenge: Week 170/Friends with Flair

This week’s blogger challenge is to reuse or recycle something as part of your project. Since I’m not a big coffee drinker, I don’t usually do this, but I stopped at Starbucks while running errands on Sunday (there’s one right inside the Target I was at, so it wasn’t a special stop). I kept the cup wrapper, thinking I might be able to use—or reuse—it for the challenge.

I paired the wrapper with one of Unity’s new Itty Bitty sets. I used the Out of This World Itty Bitty—it’s just too sweet. I stamped the image on white cardstock and colored it with Copic markers. The hearts are glittered up with a Spica pen. I stamped the image a second time so I could color and cut out the planet image and add it to the image panel with foam tape. The image is set on a red big scalloped circle—I thought it kind of mirrored the curved shapes in the image.

The cup wrapper is used to add a nice, textured layer to my card. The look and feel of the recycled piece makes a great match for an earth-themed card. I cut a notch in the end of the panel and added a strip of striped fabric tape. This is actually hiding some of the glue and printing on the wrapper. The set’s sentiment is stamped above the strip in a bold red ink.

For more projects using these colors, you can check out what the rest of the challenge players have created. Links to their blogs are in the sidebar on the right. And, for more Unity inspiration, visit the list of Friends with Flair players on the Unity blog.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Unity Stamp Co. Itty Bitty—Out of This World, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (YG01, YG05, YG07, YG09, B0000, B000, B91, B93, B95) and Lipstick Spica pen, red/white striped fabric tape, Spellbinders circle and big scalloped circle dies

other: Riding Hood Red Classic ink, Cherry Cobbler and Baja Breeze cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); foam tape

Birthday Drink

I combined this week’s Mojo Monday sketch with this week’s There She Goes challenge to combine different stamp sets on your card for this fun birthday card.

I stamped the martini glass and olive images from the A Drink a Day set on the small white circle panel and colored the images with Copic markers. The colors were picked to coordinate with the colors from the SEI Addison designer paper panel I used on the cardfront. The pattern seemed fun and festive to me. I stamped the birthday sentiment from the Special Delivery set on the panel behind the drink in a darker green ink.

To add interest to the strips that run down the side of the card, I added some sparkle and some texture. The sparkle comes from the shimmery silver paper I used for the decorative edged strip and the texture comes from the dotted embossing I did on the aqua panel. I added a trio of clear crystals and a small bow to finish the card.

Materials Used:
A Drink a Day and Special Delivery stamp sets (There She Goes); Copic blending cardstock (X-Press); markers (Copic); Ripe Avocado ink, Hawaiian Shores, Simply Chartreuse, Aqua Mist, and Silver cardstock, Aqua Mist satin ribbon (Papertrey Ink); Addison designer paper (SEI); scallop trim border punch (Stampin’ Up!); circle dies (Spellbinders); Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); clear crystals (Darice); Bow Easy

Let It Snow

Here’s my card for this week’s Our Craft Lounge sketch challenge. Even though we're having 90 degree weather here (yet again!), I went for a wintery feel, using one of OCL’s latest releases, Penguin Fun, for my card. The round little penguin images are adorable! I have a feeling I’ll be using them a lot.

I colored the penguin image with Copic markers to coordinate with the purples from Cosmo Cricket’s Mitten Weather designer paper. I don’t use purples a lot, but I really do like non-traditional colors for winter cards and purples seem to work well. The two papers are attached to a plum card base. A piece of wide white stitched grosgrain ribbon divides the two patterns. I added two big clear crystals to the top of the snowflake patterned panel and stamped the set’s “let it snow” sentiment at the top of the card. At the bottom, I added a strip of sparkly white cardstock, punched with a snowflake pattern, as an accent.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Penguin Fun stamp set, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (BV0000, BV00, BV02, BV04, C-3, C-5, C-7, YR12, YR15, YR16, B0000), Cosmo Cricket Mitten Weather designer paper, May Arts white stitched grosgrain ribbon, Spellbinders circle and big scalloped circle dies, Zva Creative clear crystals

other: Perfect Plum cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Snowflake border punch (EK Success)

Perfect Pair Blog Hop

Clear and Simple Stamps is thrilled to be teaming up with the talented designers from Creative Cuts & More to show you how you can pair up stamps and die cuts to create fabulous projects for any occasion. You should have arrived here from the Die Cut Diva, so if not, be sure to start there so you don’t miss a thing! There are a pair of prizes from each participating company for some lucky hoppers. You'll want to leave comments on all the participating blogs for a chance to win.

Today, I’m highlighting the ABC123 stamp set. Here’s a simple tag I made featuring one of CC&M’s apple die cuts. I trimmed the shipping tag a bit before attaching some school ruled designer paper to the bottom of the tag. I added a strip of ribbon along the top of the paper, then layered on the die cut apple. I stamped the set’s sentiment block in brown ink and added a simple button embellishment. This would make a fun add-on to a gift for a teacher.

Materials Used:
ABC123 stamp set, Dish All the Dirt Brown button (Clear and Simple Stamps); red apple die cut (Creative Cuts & More); Apple Jack designer paper (Sassafras Lass); green grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); twine (The Cat’s Pajamas); manila shipping tag (Staples)


Next is an adorable box, made from CC&M’s crayon box die cut. This box could hold crayons—or any number of other goodies.

I used the stamp set’s crayon image to create an array of bold rainbow-colored crayons, each colored with Copic markers. I cut the images out and arranged them on a green belly band that runs around the box. A little satin ribbon and a button-embellished bow add a fun touch.

Materials Used:
ABC123 stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Green with Envy cardstock, Green with Envy satin ribbon, Green with Envy button, ScorTape (Clear and Simple Stamps); markers (Copic-R22, R24, R27, Y11, Y13, Y17, Y18, Y38, YR16, YG05, YG07, YG09, B00, B02, B05, BV00, BV02, BV04); Grapefruit Bliss crayon box die cut (Creative Cuts & More); green and white baker’s twine (Divine Twine)


And finally, here’s a frame for preserving those back to school memories. I painted an inexpensive plain wooden frame with acrylic paint. After the paint dried, I stamped the set’s pencil image repeatedly on the frame using CSS’s black ink. CC&M’s felt apple die cut decorates the frame, along with a button. The final element was a photo of my coworker’s little girl, ready to head off to school for her very first day of kindergarten. Don't you love her pose with her umbrella? How sweet!

Materials Used:
ABC123 stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Dare to Be a Diva Red satin ribbon, Dish All the Dirt Brown button (Clear and Simple Stamps); red felt apple die cut (Creative Cuts & More); wooden frame; acrylic paints

Your next stop on the Perfect Pair hop is Stephany. You won’t want to miss what she’s created!

IHP DT Challenge: Treats and Tablescapes

As the season is starting to change, everyone’s mind is turning towards upcoming fall celebrations. With that in mind, the theme for this month’s i {heart} papers design team challenge is “Treats and Tablescapes.” We’ve all come up with some creative project ideas that you can use for fall events.

I created a simple treat holder for the challenge. Chloe the cutie puppy has become very friendly with a few of the kids in our neighborhood. She loves to join them when they play outside on the sidewalk in front of our house and if we’re inside, she watches them play through our kitchen window, moving from side to side to see them and chirping her puppy cry. They (and their parents) have been so sweet to her and haven’t minded at all that she’s joined the little group. I wanted to make sure that I had something a little different to give to Chloe’s special friends when they stop by on Halloween, so I came up with a fun presentation for some fancy Hershey’s Kisses.

I started by cutting a piece of Cosmo Cricket’s Matilda paper using the largest of the Spellbinders Labels 10 dies. I used my ScorBuddy to score two lines, each about ½” from the center of the die cut piece. When folded, this forms a base for a simple treat holder. I filled a cello bag with candy corn flavored Kisses and set it inside the paper. I picked the candy corn flavor because the wrappers match the paper I used—I have no idea how they taste—LOL! To hold both the bag of treats and the treat holder closed, I punched holes in each of the “bumps” at the ends of the die cut and threaded some orange glimmer ribbon through the holes, securing it in a bow. So quick and easy! This would also work with other Spellbinders die shapes. Check out the second photo for a view of the back--it shows the shape and how I used the ribbon a little better.

I used the dog image from the Chicken Girl Design Happy Halloween stamp set to make a little tag so that I can sign Chloe’s name on the treat. The image is colored with Copic markers. I layered it on a mustard mat, then punched a hole in the top so I could attach it through the bow with some coordinating baker’s twine.

Be sure to stop by the rest of the IHP DT for more fabulous ideas and inspiration. Here’s where to find them:

Carolyn
Cathleen
Deb
Gretchen
Kendra
Loretta
Lori (you're here!)
Lynn
Megan
Tracy
Kate

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Chicken Girl Design Happy Halloween stamp set, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (E31, E33, E34, E35, YR16, YR20, Y38, W00), Ranger Gold Pearl Liquid Pearls, Cosmo Cricket Matilda Mini Deck, Spellbinders Labels 10 die, ScorBuddy, Creative Impressions orange glimmer ribbon, Jillibean Soup baker's twine,

other: More Mustard cardstock (Stampin’ Up!)

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #92-Have a Rockin' Day

It’s time for another of Mercy’s fabulous sketches. I’ve been having a great time playing along with Mercy and her Muses this month. Here’s the sketch we’ll be using this week.

And, here’s my version using the MP3 Darling set from Clear and Simple Stamps. I stamped the Darling image on a white oval and used Copic markers to color her in.

I used some fun star patterned paper for the panel on the cardfront. A strip of red ribbon runs across the front of the card with a star border punched strip slipped underneath it. I added the set’s “have a rockin’ day” sentiment to the ribbon with black ink. As an accent, I inked a white chipboard star with an open center with teal ink and attached it to the top of the image panel. The center’s filled in with a tiny button threaded with a little red and white baker’s twine.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Muses have created using this sketch. Here’s where to find them:
Mercy Kerin
Cindy Haffner
Jackie Pedro
Jessica Diedrich
Julie Lacey
Pam Speidel
Pam Varnell

And, be sure to stop by and check out the first day of the two day Perfect Pair Blog Hop featuring products from Clear and Simple Stamps and Creative Cuts & More. DT members from both companies will be showing creative ways to use stamps and die cuts together. There will be prizes up for grabs, too. You can start off here for all the details. I’ll have a bunch of projects to share tomorrow for day two of the hop.

Materials Used:
MP3 Darling stamp set, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Dare to Be a Diva Red, Kraft Like a Rockstar, and A Blanc Check cardstock (Clear and Simple Stamps); markers (Copic-E000, E00, E11, E35, YR20, R12, R22, R24, R27, B91, B93, B95, C-1, C-3, C-5); Hawaiian Shores ink, Hawaiian Shores cardstock, Hawaiian Shores button (Papertrey Ink); Crushed Curry cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Confetti matstack (K & Company); Nestabilities petite oval dies (Spellbinders); red grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); Classic Stars border punch (Martha Stewart); chipboard star (American Crafts); red and white baker’s twine (Divine Twine)

Birthdays and Birdies

I had a chance to play with some Unity stamps and some new papers over the weekend. This first one’s for this week’s Hip Hop Sketch Challenge. I made a feminine birthday card using images from the It’s Your Day kit. This is one of my favorite birthday sets. I love that cake image!

I colored the cake in shades of pink with Copic markers. The flames are highlighted with some Yellow Stickles. The cardfront is covered with two panels of paper from KaiserCraft’s Hey Birdie line. The 6x6 stacks are perfect for cardmaking and include lots of texture and fun detail, like glossy, foil and flocked sheets. They also have some die cut pieces that can be used as accents.

I used a piece of two-toned pink ribbon to hide the seam between the two papers. The "big wishes" sentiment is stamped on the bottom panel. I wish I'd stamped the more delicate-looking "celebrate" image instead, but too late . . . A trio of pink crystals completes the card.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Unity Stamp Co. It’s Your Day kit, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (RV000, RV00, R81, R83, R85, Y11, Y17), Ranger Yellow Stickles, KaiserCraft Hey Birdie paper pad, May Arts textured two-toned rose/pink ribbon, Spellbinders oval Nestabilities dies, Zva Creative pink crystals

other: Blushing Bride cardstock (Stampin’ Up!)

The second card is for this week’s Unity Addicts Challenge to make your own background paper with something other than stamps. I used a technique I hadn’t used in a long time and made a background with shaving cream and several shades of blue reinkers. I planned to use the new Togetherness Icons kit and thought that I could make a sky-like background panel. I think it sort of worked out.

After the shaving cream panel had dried, I added a strip of Sassafras Lass Indie Girl designer paper to the cardfront. This may be one of my new favorite paper lines—I love the patterns and colors. I used one of my Labels 9 dies to cut a decorative edge for the strip. I stamped two of the kit’s birds on scraps of teal cardstock in a deeper teal ink and cut them out, then added them to the patterned paper strip. The kit’s “togetherness” sentiment is stamped on a yellow strip and matted on a teal panel, then attached to the cardfront. I ran a strip of green twill across the top of the card, securing it above the end of the patterned paper strip to complete the card.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Unity Stamp Co. Togetherness Icons kit, Sassafras Lass Indie Girl Wee Bundle, Spellbinders Labels 9 die, Alexx Kesh green herringbone twill

other: Baja Breeze, Cool Caribbean, and Bermuda Bay reinkers, Bermuda Bay Classic ink, Barely Banana cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Hawaiian Shores cardstock (Papertrey Ink)

Bring on the Fall Colors

This week's SCS clean and simple challenge is a color challenge using kraft, vanilla, brown, and red with the option of adding in some orange if you want to. I made two fall cards for the challenge, one with the orange and one without.

Here's the one with orange. As promised, I used the Fall Fest set from Practicing Creativity again, but this time used one of the larger, solid leaf images. I stamped the leaf across the kraft card base in three different pigment inks--red, brown, and orange. Love the look of these colors against the kraft! The images didn't stamp perfectly solid, but I think I like the sort of weathered look that created on this simple card.

A piece of cream grosgrain ribbon is tied underneath the leaf line. The set's "I'm falling for you" sentiment is stamped underneath the ribbon to complete the one layer card. This was such an easy design--the part that took the longest was cleaning and reinking the stamp to get the different color leaves.

Materials Used:
Fall Fest stamp set (Practicing Creativity Designs); Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, and Close to Cocoa Craft inks, Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); cream grosgrain ribbon (Michaels)

And, here's the one without orange. I stamped the tree from Papertrey Ink's Falling Leaves set on a vanilla panel. The leaves were added in bold red ink. To add interest to the panel, I cut a piece of cork for the bottom, grounding the tree and providing a little texture, too. A piece of red and white baker's twine is wrapped around the cork and secured with a brown button.

The set's "give thanks" sentiment was stamped on a vanilla scrap. I layered it on a piece of red and placed it on the card, partway on the image panel and partway on the cardfront.

Materials Used:
Falling Leaves stamp set, Dark Chocolate button (Papertrey Ink); Real Red and Close to Cocoa Classic inks, Real Red, Very Vanilla, and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); cork sheet (Creative Imaginations); red baker's twine (Divine Twine)

Falling for You . . . Again

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. It's based on this sweet card. I really liked how this layout showcases the small images that I find so hard to use.

The biggest challenge for me with this card was figuring out the spacing for the three semi-circular openings at the bottom of the paper panel. I ended up punching circles from sticky notes and arranging them on both the patterned paper and the solid mat, then punching them with circle punches while the sticky notes were in place to get them evenly spaced. It worked out okay, I think. I added a yellow ribbon around the panel and stamped the sentiment above the knotted ribbon.

I used the small open leaf image from the Fall Fest set from Practicing Creativity to fill in the spaces. I stamped it three times in brown ink and colored it with Copic markers. The image is layered on a brown circle for some contrast, then attached to the cardfront with foam tape.

I'll be back tomorrow with another card featuring images from this great fall set . . .

Materials Used:

Fall Fest stamp set (Practicing Creativity Designs); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento); markers (Copic); white cardstock (Couture Cardstock); Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, and Close to Cocoa cardstock, Daffodil Delight grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Jeepers Creepers designer paper (Heidi Grace); circle punches (EK Success); foam tape

To a Super Kid

The theme for this week’s My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club challenge is stars. I went with a superhero image for my fun gift tag.

I started by stamping the Pure Innocence Super Boy image on a white panel. I colored the image in bold primary colors, then cut it out.

I built a base for the image on a manila shipping tag. The bottom of the tag is covered with some star patterned designer paper. A star border strip is stitched across the lower part of the panel. I wrapped a piece of blue grosgrain ribbon around the tag, securing it with a blue button tied with some yellow and white baker’s twine. I set the image in place with foam tape, then settled on the placement of the “super kid” sentiment.

Materials Used:
Pure Innocence Super Boy image, star border die (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Hot Stars designer paper (Adorn It); Crushed Curry cardstock, Marina Mist grosgrain ribbon(Stampin’ Up!); True Blue Fan button (Clear and Simple Stamps); baker’s twine (The Twinery); manila tag (Staples); foam tape; sewing machine

Bat Trio

Here’s my card for this week’s One Layer Wednesday challenge. There’s a lot going on here, but still only one piece of cardstock.

I stamped the tiny bat image from the Holiday Defined II set from Clear and Simple Stamps three times on a piece of pale purple cardstock. Then I dressed the bats up a bit, just for fun. I used my Quickie Glue Pen to add glue to their wings, then sprinkled on some glitter. I stamped the “Happy Halloween” sentiment from the Month-to-Month Extras set next to the bats in purple ink. This set is fabulous—love the fun script font and how you can mix and match words to get a ton of sentiments for pretty much every occasion.

The card needed something else, so I added a coordinating satin ribbon strip across the top. A button embellished bow finishes off the card.

Materials Used:
Holiday Defined II and Month-to-Month Extras stamp sets, VIP Purple cardstock, VIP Purple and Perfect Little Black Dress inks, VIP Purple satin ribbon, VIP Purple button (Clear and Simple Stamps); twine (Papertrey Ink); Dazzling Diamonds (Stampin’ Up!)

Falling for You

Happy Saturday! It's finally cooling off a bit here, so it's starting to feel right to turn to fall colors and images in my projects. I went in that direction for this week's Paper Craft Planet sketch challenge, hosted by Adela.

I envisioned the 4 blocks on the sketch as a window and created a simple fall scene showing through it. The images are from Papertrey Ink's Falling Leaves set. I stamped them in pigment inks to stand out nicely against the blue background. There's a dusting of Autumn Flower Soft on the bottom of the panel for a fun texture.

After the scene was complete, I set a kraft panel with 4 squares punched out over the images, using foam tape to secure it. Here's a tip for getting the squares spaced evenly--use sticky notes. Punch squares from a sticky note or two, position them on the panel, then punch away. I layered the window on a rust panel, then set it on a kraft panel. The sentiment is stamped in orange pigment ink alongside the window. I added a strip of dark brown grosgrain ribbon along the side of the panel and wrapped some baker's twine around the ribbon. After knotting the twine, I threaded a button on to it and tied a simple bow.

If you play along with this week's sketch be sure to upload it to the PCP gallery using the keyword sk091810 so it can be added to the album with the rest of this week's cards.

Materials Used:
Falling Leaves stamp set, Dark Chocolate baker's twine, Terracotta Tile button (Papertrey Ink); Pumpkin Pie and Close to Cocoa Craft inks, Bashful Blue, Dusty Durango, and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); 1 1/4" square punch (EK Success); brown grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); Autumn Flower Soft; foam tape

Sporty Sketch

*** Scroll down to the post below to see my Blogger Challenge/Friends with Flair project.***

Here’s my card for this week’s Bellarific Friday from Stamping Bella. This week’s challenge was a great sketch. I made a fun, sports themed card that’s just perfect for a little boy.

The hanging sports block image is stamped on a white panel. The images are colored with Copic markers and highlighted with a soft yellow glow. I stamped the “you’re super” sentiment along the bottom of the panel.

I layered the image on a yellow panel, then on a larger deep red one. I added a star border to the edge of the red panel, then set it on a piece of star patterned paper. I thought the distressed look of the stars worked well for a card for a boy. I wrapped some red twine, accented with a button, around the cardfront. I’m finding that I’m really liking using twine as the finishing touch on my more boy/masculine cards.

Materials Used:
Hanging sports block image and sentiment (Stamping Bella); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Crushed Curry and Cherry Cobbler cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Boy Story-All About Boys designer paper (Cherry Arte); Classic Star border punch (Martha Stewart); button (Papertrey Ink); twine (The Twinery)

Blogger Challenge: Week 169/Friends with Flair

This week’s blogger challenge is a color challenge—blue, green, and brown. That combination made me think of nature and the outdoors, so I went with a tree image for my card.

I stamped the tree trio from Unity’s December Stampin’ Store Kit on a white panel and colored the image with Copic markers. I cheated just a tiny bit by coloring the hearts on the trees red with a Spica glitter pen, but I think that’s okay . . .

For the rest of the card, I pieced together pieces of My Mind’s Eye Quite Contrary designer papers, using some scraps in the process. I used a big cloud patterned piece for most of the cardfront and lined up a trio of coordinating scraps along the bottom. A piece of corduroy ribbon hides the seam. I attached the image panel, then stamped the sentiment next to it, right above the ribbon.

For more projects using these colors, you can check out what the rest of the challenge players have created. Links to their blogs are in the sidebar on the right. And, for more Unity inspiration, visit the list of Friends with Flair players on the Unity blog.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Unity Stamp Co. {sweet affections} December 2009 Stampin’ Store Kit, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (YG01, YG05, YG07, YG09,YG21, YG25, YR16, YG97, E13, E17, E18, BG0000, BG000) and Lipstick Spica pen, My Mind’s Eye Quite Contrary Little Boy Blue "When I Grow Up" and "Rough & Tough" designer papers, May Arts green corduroy ribbon

other: Crumb Cake, and Whisper White cardstock (Stampin’ Up!)

Believe in You Birthday

Here’s my card for this week’s There She Goes challenge. My card’s based on the great sketch provided for the challenge.

I used an image from the Believe set along with a sentiment from the Special Delivery set to make a birthday card. I stamped the little girl writing image on a white oval and colored the image with Copic markers. I thought that maybe she could be writing a birthday message . . .

I used two different patterned papers from DCWV’s Summer Dream matstack for the panels on the cardfront. The image is colored to coordinate with the papers, even down to the striped leggings the girl’s wearing under her dress. A pair of satin ribbon strips run across the card. The top ribbon strip is decorated with a button-embellished bow. I have a feeling I'll use this fun sketch again.

Materials Used:
Believe in You and Special Delivery stamp sets (There She Goes); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); Sweet Blush and Hawaiian Shores cardstock, Hawaiian Shores satin ribbon, Hawaiian Shores button, twine (Papertrey Ink); oval dies (Spellbinders); circle punches (EK Success); foam tape

Purrr-fect

Here’s my card for this week’s Our Craft Lounge sketch challenge. I used one of my favorite OCL sets, Jungle Love, for my cute card. I ended up flipping the sketch on its side, but still included all of the elements in my design.

The set’s lion image is stamped on the round panel. I used the out of the box technique with the circle die so that I could have the lion’s tail extend off of the panel a bit. The image is colored with Copic markers. I used my airbrush tool to add in a bright blue sky.

The panel behind the lion is cut with a Labels 8 die. I used some of the new Cosmo Cricket Togetherness line for the panel. A piece of ivory ribbon is knotted around the decorative edged panel. It’s layered on a yellow panel embossed with a polka dot patterned embossing folder. I stamped the “you’re purrrr-fect” sentiment on a scrap of white and accented it with a yellow brad before attaching it to the cardfront.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Jungle Love stamp set, Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Couture Cardstock white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (Y00, Y11, Y13, Y17, Y18, Y35, YG07, YG09, YG21, YG25, R21, YR16, B21), Cosmo Cricket Togetherness mini deck, May Arts ivory ribbon, QuicKutz Polka Dots embossing folder, Spellbinders circle and Labels 8 dies, Creative Impressions pastel mini brad

other: Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, and New Leaf cardstock (Papertrey Ink)

Welcome Baby

I combined this week's SCS sketch challenge with this week's The Cat's Pajamas Mad about Plaid challenge for this super sweet baby card. With all the panels and paper piecing, I was able to use up some older patterned paper scraps--love when I can do that!

I started by paper piecing the hippo images from the And Baby Makes set in a combination of plaid and dotted papers from DCWV's Nana's Nursery collection. The heads are popped up with foam tape to add interest.

I used other patterns from the paper collection for the different panels on the cardfront. I mixed and matched a while before coming up with a combination that I liked. The panels are matted on coordinating solids to break them up a bit. I made a small cardstock flag panel for the sentiment. I stamped the set's "welcome baby" sentiment on it and added a pink button, tied with some pink Divine Twine, to finish the card.

Materials Used:

And Baby Makes stamp set, pink Divine Twine (The Cat's Pajamas); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); Pear Pizzazz and Blushing Bride cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Nana's Nursery designer paper (DCWV); oval dies (Spellbinders); Sweet Blush button (Papertrey Ink); foam tape

Penciled and Chalked Backlit Blooms

Starving Artistamps is sponsoring this week’s challenge at 2 Sketches 4 You. I pulled out my new Doodle Factory Backlit Blooms Daisy set for this pretty thank you card. Its colors are inspired by this week’s Curtain Call Color Challenge to use artichoke, dark brown, kraft, and white.

I’m not a huge technique stamper, but something about these images makes me want to try some out. Here, I combined two similar but slightly different techniques on the same image. I stamped the image in white pigment ink on a dark brown panel. The stems are colored green using a Prismacolor pencil. The daisies are dotted with a shimmery white chalk—so pretty in person!

For an accent along the bottom of the image, I fancy folded a strip of matching dark brown grosgrain ribbon, notching the edges to add interest. I put a trio of pearls on the ribbon for more elegant sparkle. The set’s “thank you” sentiment is stamped alongside the image panel in artichoke ink on the kraft card base.

Be sure to stop by the Starving Artistamps blog. for details about our month-long celebration for owner Tracey's birthday. A new blog candy giveaway will be announced each week. The current giveaway ends today and a new one begins tomorrow--don't miss out!

Materials Used:
DoodleFactory Backlit Blooms-Daisy stamp set (Starving Artistamps); Whisper White Craft ink, Always Artichoke Classic ink, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Dish All the Dirt Brown cardstock (Clear and Simple Stamps); brown grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); white shimmer chalk (pebbles inc); green colored pencil (Prismacolor); self-adhesive pearls (Queen & Co.)

Time to Celebrate

***Scroll down to the post below to see my card for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.***

I couldn't let the day pass without wishing my mom a very happy birthday. I used this week's Paper Craft Planet sketch challenge, designed by Kim for her birthday card. We had a family celebration over the weekend, so it’s safe for me to share this card now.

Instead of a small stamped image, I made my own paper candles using a pair of embossed paper strips topped with oval-ish flames. I dotted the flames with some Stickles for a little sparkle.

I kept the rest of the elements on the card simple to keep the focus on the candles. I used a kraft card base with a panel of Spring Moss cardstock at the top. A strip of Ripe Avocado stitched grosgrain ribbon (that was left over from another project and has been sitting on my table for quite a while . . .) runs along the bottom of the Spring Moss panel and helps to ground the sentiment from Papertrey Ink’s Birthday Bash Sentiments set. A single button is the final element on the card.

If you have a chance to play along, upload your card to the PCP gallery with the keyword sk091110 so that it can be added to the album with the rest of this week’s creations.

Materials Used:
Birthday Bash Sentiments stamp set, Ripe Avocado ink, Spring Moss and Harvest Gold cardstock, Ripe Avocado stitched grosgrain ribbon, Simply Chartreuse button (Papertrey Ink); Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); Yellow Stickles (Ranger)

Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #91-Just Boo-Cause

Here’s my card for this week’s Mercy’s Tuesday Sketch Challenge. I’m having so much fun being Mercy’s guest Muse for this month! Take a look at the sketch she's drawn up for this week.


I created a Halloween card using one of the new DoodleFactory Ghoulies from Starving Artistamps. Frankie is colored with Copic markers and cut out. I stamped the head a second time, colored it, and cut it out, then attached it to the image with foam tape.

I made a simple scene for my creature by stamping the Build a Cloud stamp in Rich Razzleberry ink on a matching panel (loving this color for Halloween cards this year!), then adding a grass strip along the bottom. It’s sprayed with Sparkle Shimmer Spitz for a little spooky shine. Chloe the cutie puppy got in my way and got sprayed a little, but she doesn’t look sparkly, fortunately. She’s a big puff-ball, so it would take a lot of spray to make her sparkle—LOL! I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment on the grass. A pair of silver brads accents it.

I used a pair of coordinating papers for the panel on the left side of the card and to cover most of the card base. I accented the panel along the left side of the card with a strip of black stars. They’re stitched in place for a little contrast.

Don’t miss the info on the latest blog candy contest on the Starving Artistamps blog. Giveaways are going on all month long. And, don’t miss what the rest of Mercy’s Muses have created using this sketch. Here’s where to find them:
Mercy Kerin
Cindy Haffner
Crystal Birr
Jackie Pedro
Jessica Diedrich
Julie Lacey
Pam Speidel
Pam Varnell

Materials Used:
DoodleFactory Ghoulies and Grave Yard Sentiments stamp sets (Starving Artistamps); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Sparkle Shimmer Spritz (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Rich Razzleberry Classic ink, Rich Razzleberry and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Simply Chartreuse cardstock (Papertrey Ink); designer paper (?); Nestabilities circle dies (Spellbinders); Classic Stars and Grass border punches (Martha Stewart); silver brads (Making Memories); foam tape; sewing machine

Thinking of You Always

Here’s another card featuring images from Topiaries, this month’s Stamp of the Month from Clear and Simple Stamps. As always, there's a discount code that you can use for a $1 discount on the purchase of the SOTM. This month's code is CSS0910.

I stamped the topiary image on a section of a decorative edged panel cut from white cardstock. The image is colored in earthy color tones using Copic markers.

The layout is very simple, really highlighting the pretty image. I used CSS’s VIP Purple for my card base and ran a strip of coordinating dotted paper along the bottom of the card. A row of paper piercing underneath the patterned paper brings in a few more dot/circle elements.

I stamped one of the set’s sentiments on a purple strip using coordinating purple ink. The sentiment is accented with a simple button embellished bow.

We've got lots of exciting things coming up at CSS. Be sure to join us next week, September 21 and 22 for a big blog hop that will include both the CSS team and the talented designers from Creative Cuts and More. We'll be showing off how well products from both stores work together.

And, don't forget about the CSS iPhone app. One of my projects will be featured on the app tomorrow. Here's a little sneak peek of what you'll see when you visit the app.

Materials Used:
Topiaries stamp set, VIP Purple and Perfect Little Black Dress ink, VIP Purple and A Blanc Check cardstock, VIP Purple satin ribbon, VIP Purple button (Clear and Simple Stamps); Latte Matstack (DCWV); markers (Copic-E11, E13, E17, E18, E25, E27, W00, W-1, W-3, YG13, YG17, YG21, YG25); Labels 9 die (Spellbinders); twine (Papertrey Ink)