Color Throwdown 819-Bee Mine

 It's time for another Color Throwdown! Vickie is our hostess this week with a great color combination--mustard, red, and slate blue.

I paired the colors with the current challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday. My focal image is a bee from the Paper Smooches Giddy Bugs stamp set. The bee was colored with Copic markers and cut out with the matching die. To make a background for the bee, I used PS's Honeycomb die, cut from mustard cardstock and adhered to a slate blue card base. I promise it's slate blue even though it reads more green/gray in the photo! I accented the bee with a pair of red die cut hearts and a clear crystal "flight trail." The "bee mine" sentiment from the Bee Mine stamp set, stamped in rich red ink and matted on coordinating cardstock, completed the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD819. If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd819 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Broni ** Tammy **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Featured Stamper Julia Humphries **

Materials Used:
Giddy Bugs and Bee Mine stamp sets, Giddy Bugs Icons, Dog Icons, Build a Bug,and Honeycomb dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black and Rhubarb Stalk inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Steel Blue cardstock (My Favorite Things); Scarlet Jewel cardstock (Papertrey Ink); More Mustard cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Gold Foil cardstock (Recollections); clear crystal flourish (Recollections); foam tape

Color Throwdown 803-Happy BeeDay

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Broni is our hostess with a bold mix of colors inspired by a beachy scene--yellow, pink, and blue.

I paired the colors with the current challenge from CAS Colours and Sketches. My focal image is the bee from the Paper Smooches Giddy Bugs stamp set. I colored the bee with Copic markers, then cut it out with the matching die. It's hard to see in the photo, but I added just a touch of glitter to the bee's wings. I used foam tape to adhere the bee to the lower right corner of a blue on blue dotted panel die cut with a dotted rectangle die. After matting the dotted panel on a slightly larger pink rectangle, I attached it to the upper right side of a blue card base. The two clouds, die cut from shimmery white cardstock, were tucked beneath the raised bee image. I combined words from two PS sets to make my custom birthday sentiment, which I stamped on yellow cardstock to match the bee.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD803. If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd803 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **

Materials Used:
Giddy Bugs, Bee Mine and Sentiment Sampler stamp sets,Giddy Bugs and Clouds dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Rich Razzleberry and Bright Buttercup cardstock (Papertrey Ink); cardstock, Blue Tonal Dots designer paper (Recollections); Crystal Stardream metallic cardstock (The Paper Cut); Pierced Rectangle STAX dies (My Favorite Things); foam tape

Color Throwdown 791-Flower Love

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Amy Rysavy is our hostess this week with a fantastic mix of colors--grey, magenta, and aqua.

I paired the colors with the current challenge at The Paper Players. My focal image is a magenta rose from the Paper Smooches Lovely Thoughts stamp set. The image was colored with Copic markers, then cut out by hand. I arranged four gray cardstock squares on an aqua card base, then wrapped some silver thread in a pile of loops before adhering the rose over the squares with foam tape for dimension. I stamped the "I love you" sentiment from the PS Word Salad set on a narrow magenta-ish strip. The strip was adhered to the cardfront with the right end tucked beneath the raised rose image.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD791. If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd791 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Luanne Ford **

Materials Used:e
Lovely Thoughts and Word Salad stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Aqua Mist cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Pixie Pink cardstock (Stampin' Up!); I Steel Got It cardstock (Clear and Simple Stamps); silver thread (Recollections); foam tape

 

Color Throwdown 783-You Are a Peach

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Broni is our hostess this week with a pretty mix of pastel colors--peach, sage green, and cream.

I saw the peach color in the swatch and decided to go with a peach as my focal image. The peach I used is from the Paper Smooches Fruitastic stamp set. I colored up the image with Copic markers and cut it out with the matching die. The colored image was placed on a cream cardfront over strips of sage green and gold cardstock. It's hard to see in the photo, but there's a narrow strip of peach cardstock along the left edge of the sage green cardstock strip to pull in just a bit more of the peachy shade. The "you are a peach" sentiment was stamped on a narrow cream cardstock strip. After matting it on peach cardstock, I added it to the cardfront, tucking the left edge just beneath the raised peach image. Glad to have another thank you card for my stash!

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD783.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd783 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Sanna **

Materials Used:
Fruitastic stamp set, Fruitastic Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Sage Shadow cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Just Peachy cardstock (Gina K Designs); gold paper (Target); foam tape

Color Throwdown 779-Pineapple Crush Thank You

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Vickie is our hostess this week with a great combination of colors--blue, lime, and brown.

I paired the colors with the current sketch from Sunday Stamps for this thank you card design. The sketch calls for a trio of circles, but I took a few liberties and replaced one with a stamped image--a pineapple from the Paper Smooches Pineapple Crush stamp set. I colored the stamped image with Copic markers before carefully cutting it out by hand. For the remaining round panels, I die cut circles from navy and lime cardstock and matted them on brown cardstock, then adhered the circles to a piece of lime dotted patterned paper. My last "circle" was created from a nest of gold thread that I topped with the pineapple image. The "thank you" sentiment from the PS Pineapple Crush 2 set was stamped on a strip of lime cardstock and adhered over the pineapple image with foam tape. I placed the panel on a brown card base matching the mats behind the round panels to finish the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD779.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd779 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Lee Ann Barrett **

Materials Used:
Pineapple Crush and Pineapple Crush 2 stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Limeade Ice cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Soft Suede cardstock (Stampin' Up!); navy cardstock, gold thread (Recollections); Hello Gorgeous 6x6 paper pad (My Mind's Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

Color Throwdown 777-Thank You Snow Much

 
It's time for another Color Throwdown! I'm the challenge hostess this week and I've picked colors inspired by a cozy knit scarf--red, navy, and pink.

I used the colors for a wintery thank you design along with my favorite snowman stamps from Paper Smooches. I love the PS snowmen! This one from the Winter Greetings set was stamped on shimmery white cardstock, then colored with Copic markers. I carefully cut out the image, then used foam tape to place it on a snowy hill on a navy card base. The "thank you snow much" sentiment was stamped on pink cardstock using words from several different PS sets. I placed the strip on the white portion of the cardfront using more foam tape. A trio of silver sequin "snowflakes" arranged in a triangular shape next to the image finished the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD777.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd777 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Tara Carpenter **

Materials Used:
Winter Greetings, Fun & Flirty, Winter Sampler, and Pineapple Crush stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Night of Navy and Shimmery White cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Pale Peony cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Crystal Stardream metallic cardstock (The Paper Cut); Landscape Trio dies (Mama Elephant); silver sequins; foam tape

Color Throwdown 752-Thanks So Much

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Kelly is our hostess this week with a great mix of colors--green, fuchsia, terracotta, and light grey.

After seeing the photo that inspired the color palette, I couldn't resist going with something plant related for my card. I went with a pot of succulents from the Paper Smooches Posh Planters stamp set. I colored up the image with Copic markers, then carefully cut it out by hand. 

The layout for my design is from the current challenge at TGIF Challenges. I used foam tape to place the image on a coordinating fuchsia circle die cut, then added the die cut to a white card base with green and grey cardstock strips. The "thanks so much" sentiment from the PS Pineapple Crush stamp set was stamped to the left of the image in black ink to finish the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD752.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd752 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Annette Elias **

Materials Used:
Posh Planters and Pineapple Crush stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Certainly Celery cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Cement Gray cardstock (My Favorite Things); Passionate Pink cardstock (GinaK Designs); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

Color Throwdown 748-Waving Hello

 

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Lynn is our hostess this week with a rich color palette--red, blue, brown, and white.

I paired the colors with the current sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday for this nautical themed hello card. My focal image is the sailboat from the Paper Smooches Wicked Nauticool stamp set. The image was colored with Copic markers and cut out with the matching die. I made a background for the sailboat from a piece of swirl embossed blue paper with white pigment ink brushed over the raised design and a piece of "plain" wavy blue cardstock adhered to the bottom. The boat was placed on top with foam tape. After matting the panel on white cardstock for contrast, I added the boat to a blue card base with a dotted red patterned paper on the top half. The patterned panel was edged with brown and a brown tab was tucked beneath the image panel. A trio of pewter brads frames the image opposite the brown tab. I stamped the set's "waving hello" sentiment in the bottom corner of the dotted panel to finish the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD748.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd748 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Luanne **

Materials Used:
Wicked Nauticool stamp set, Wicked Nauticool Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black and Memento Luxe Wedding Dress inks (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Pacific Point and Chocolate Chip cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Tiny Polka-Red Tonal designer paper (The Paper Studio); D'Vine Swirls embossing folder (Cuttlebug); pewter brads; foam tape

Color Throwdown 747-Hello Sunshine

It's time for another Color Throwdown! It's my turn to be challenge hostess and I've picked a color palette inspired by a shark themed summer party tablescape-- aqua, red, and yellow.

I created a clean and simple design using a fun image from Paper Smooches as the focal point of my design. The mug image from the Sunnyville stamp set was colored with Copic markers and cut out by hand. I used foam tape to adhere it to a red circle on the right side of an aqua panel. The "hello sunshine" sentiment from the Summer Lovin set was stamped on a yellow cardstock strip that I placed on the panel with the right end tucked beneath the raised mug image.The finished panel was adhered to a white card base. I thought about using yellow, but in the end I decided that the clean, crisp white worked the best.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD747.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd747 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Broni **
** Kelly ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **

** Guest Star Stamper Bobby **

Materials Used:
Sunnyville and Summer Lovin stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Iced Aqua cardstock (Reverse Confetti); Real Red cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Lemon Tart cardstock (Papertrey Ink); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

Color Throwdown 731-Happy Bird-Day

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Amy Rysavy is our hostess this week with a bold mix of colors--pale yellow, aqua, navy, and pink.

Here's my take on the challenge using the colors with the current sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday. I used the bird from the Paper Smooches Birthday Buddies set as my focal image. The image was colored with Copic markers matching the challenge colors and cut out with the matching die. The bird was adhered to an aqua card base over a trio of cardstock strips--an wide navy one, a super narrow pale yellow one, and a scalloped pink one. I stamped the "happy bird-day" sentiment on a strip of yellow cardstock and trimmed it closely before adhering it to the left side of the navy strip to finish the design.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine.  Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD731.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd731 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team and this week's Guest Star Stamper.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy **
** Broni ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Carol McFarland **

Materials Used:
Birthday Buddies stamp set, Buddies Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Pacific Point cardstock, scallop border punch (Stampin' Up!); Lemon Tart cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Red Punch and Navy cardstock (Recollections); foam tape

Color Throwdown 702-You Make My Life Brighter

 

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Barbara is our hostess this week with a great mix of colors--yellow, aqua, green, and kraft.

The layout for my design is based on the current challenge at Try Stampin' on Tuesday. My focal image is the adorable firefly from the Paper Smooches Giddy Bugs stamp set. The image was colored with Copic markers, then cut out with the matching die before it was adhered to an aqua pinking circle die cut. It's hard to see in the photo, but the firefly's wings are lightly coated with glitter for a bit of extra sparkle and shine! The image panel was adhered to a bright yellow cardstock strip on a piece of green striped paper. The yellow panel is edged with a narrow strip of kraft cardstock to set it off. I used my MISTI to stamp the "you make my life brighter" sentiment on the right side of the yellow strip. The sentiment has a teeny, tiny heart next to the word "life," but I covered it with a sticky note when I inked the stamp so it was left off of the design. The finished panel was adhered to an aqua cardfront matching the panel behind the focal image.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine.  Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD702.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd702 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team and this week's Guest Star Stamper Jennie Maier.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Barbara **
** Broni ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Jennie Maier **

Materials Used:
Giddy Bugs stamp set, Giddy Bugs Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Yoyo Yellow cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Hawaiian Shores and Kraft cardstock (Papertrey Ink); All the Dots 6x6 paper pad (Lawn Fawn); pinking circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape

Color Throwdown 688-You Are Appreciated

It's time for another Color Throwdown! Lynn is our hostess today with a floral inspired color palette--pink, sage green, lavender, and blue.

I paired the colors with the current sketch from Try Stampin' on Tuesday. My focal image is from the Paper Smooches Posh Planters stamp set. It was colored with Copic markers, then carefully fussy cut with sharp scissors. After adhering a pink die cut tag to a sage green card base, I added the colored image on top using foam tape for dimension. The "you are appreciated" sentiment from the PS Word Salad stamp set was stamped on a narrow strip of lavender cardstock. I placed the strip on the cardfront overlapping the right side of the image and hiding the bottom edge of the die cut tag. A little bit of lavender seam binding knotted through the hole in the tag finished off the card.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine.  Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD688.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd688 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team and this week's Guest Star Stamper Annette Elias.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Barbara ** 

** Broni ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **
** Guest Star Stamper Annette Elias **

Materials Used:
Posh Planters and Word Salad stamp sets Gift Tags dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Lovely Lady and Winter Wisteria cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Sage Shadow cardstock (Stampin' Up!); lavender seam binding (Martha Stewart); foam tape

Color Throwdown 675- Happy Bee-Day

 It's time for another Color Throwdown! Susie is our hostess this week with a great mix of colors--blue, gray, yellow, and green.

I paired the colors with the current challenge (layout and theme) from Try Stampin' on Tuesday to create a bee themed birthday card.  My focal image is the bee from the Paper Smooches Giddy Bugs stamp set. The image was stamped in gray ink, then colored with Copic markers before I cut it out with the matching die. I used foam tape to adhere the image to a blue card base over a strip of green chevron patterned paper and a strip of bright yellow cardstock. For the sentiment, I combined words from the Sentiment Sampler and Bee Mine sets to stamp "happy bee day" in gray ink on a gray tag die cut. After threading a piece of yellow grosgrain ribbon through the hole in the tag and securing it with a simple knot, I positioned the tag on the cardfront at an angle, tucking it underneath the raised bee image.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post.  As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine.  Just be sure that the challenge colors are the dominant ones in your project.  And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD675.  If you upload your projects on social media, go ahead and use the hashtag #ctd675 and #colorthrowdown.  You can find us on Instagram and on Facebook with the username colorthrowdown.  Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team and this week's guest star stamper Deb Horst.

** Amy Rohl **  Amy Rysavy ** Barbara ** 

** Broni ** Lisa ** Lynn **
** Susie **  Vickie ** Wanda **

**  Guest Star Stamper Deb Horst  **

Materials Used:
Giddy Bugs, Sentiment Sampler, and Bee Mine stamp sets, Giddy Bugs Icons and Gift Tags dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Gray Flannel ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Night of Navy cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Weathervane and Bright Buttercup cardstock (Papertrey Ink); yellow grosgrain ribbon; foam tape

Bee Mine

Now that I've finished my grad school classes for my library media specialist certification and taken some time to rest and recover, I'm hoping to be back to stamping a little more regularly! I started the new year off with this simple, sweet love themed design based on the current challenge at Freshly Made Sketches. The layout's trio of round elements are represented by a pair of Paper Smooches bees and a red die cut heart. After arranging the elements on a pale pink card base, I added a narrow strip stamped with the "bee mine" sentiment from the PS Bee Mine set at the right side of the cluster of pieces to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Giddy Bugs and Bee Mine stamp sets, Giddy Bugs Icons, Bee Mine Icons, and Needle Little Love Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Sweet Blush cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Red Punch cardstock (Recollections); foam tape

Lemon Duo Thank You

Here's my card for the current Fusion challenge. I paired the sketch with elements from the inspiration photo (color scheme, lemon image) for this simple thank you design.

My lemon images are from the Paper Smooches Fruitastic stamp set. The image has a Kawaii-style face inside it, so I did some selective inking to just get the image outline. The lemons and leaves were colored with Copic markers, then cut out with the matching dies (lemons) or by hand (leaves). I created a background for the images by adhering a pair of layered circles, amethyst on green, to the lower left corner of a green dotted panel. The edges of the circle were trimmed down so the panels were even with the patterned paper panel, then the lemons were added on top. I used foam tape to position the lemons so I could tuck the leaves underneath the raised images. The "thank you" sentiment from the Word Up set was stamped on a narrow lemon yellow fishtail flag strip. I placed it on the panel extending out from beneath one of the lemon images, then adhered the panel to a coordinating green card base.

Materials Used:
Fruitastic and Word Up stamp sets, Fruitastic Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Almost Amethyst cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Simply Chartreuse and Lemon Tart cardstock, Simply Chartreuse patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); circle dies (Spellbinders); Fishtail Flag STAX dies (My Favorite Things); foam tape

Best Wishes Buds

Here's my card for the 300th challenge at Global Design Project. I used elements from the inspiration photo, including the layout, white die cut, and watercolor background, to put this simple design together.

I started by doing a watercolor wash with pink paint on a white background. While the paper dried, I die cut the Paper Smooches Rad Roses die from white cardstock. The die cut piece was positioned on the white panel, strategically positioned over the watercolored area so it would stand out.  The panel was edged with coordinating pink cardstock before I adhered it to a white card base. For the sentiment, I stamped the "best wishes" sentiment from the Simply Said stamp set in black ink on a pink panel. The strip was positioned over the lower right section of the die cut piece using foam tape for dimension. I tucked a delicate silver bow beneath the top right corner of the strip for a little sparkle, then added a trio of white matte enamel dots around the die cut to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Simply Said stamp set, Rad Roses dies (Paper Smooches); Versafine Clair Nocturn ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Picked Raspberry distress ink (Ranger); Raspberry Fizz cardstock (Papertrey Ink); white matte enamel dots (Eyelet Outlet); silver thread; foam tape

Graphic Inspired Hello

Here's my card for the current Fusion challenge. I combined the sketch with elements from the inspiration photo (color scheme, graphic design, and pop of rich red) for this clean and simple design. 

My focal image is from the Paper Smooches Abode stamp set. I colored the modern chair image using Copic markers, then fussy cut it out before adhering it to a light blue circle using foam tape for dimension. The circle was positioned at the right side of a piece of blue patterned paper with a simple graphic design. The patterned panel was layered on to a darker blue card base, slightly off center. I used black ink to stamp the set's "hello" sentiment just to the left of the image panel to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Abode stamp set (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Soft Sky and Bayou Blue cardstock (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (Studio Calico); circle die (Spellbinders); foam tape

You Are My Sunshine

Here's my card for the current challenge at The Paper Players. I paired the layout with stamps and dies from Paper Smooches for this cheerful clean and simple design. The Cuppa Sunshine die was cut from white cardstock, then pieced with cardstock scraps also cut with the die. It's hard to see in the photo, but I used shimmery white cardstock to cut the cup's cloud element. I used foam tape to adhere the pieced die cut element to the right side of an aqua dotted patterned paper panel. The panel was matted on coordinating cardstock, then adhered to a yellow card base matching the sun in the pieced die cut. The set's "you are my sunshine" sentiment was stamped to the left of the die cut to finish the design.   

Materials Used:
Sunnyville stamp set, Cuppa Sunshine dies (Paper Smooches); Versafine Clair Nocturne ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); Aqua Mist and Lemon Tart cardstock, Aqua Mist patterned paper (Papertrey Ink); Ocean cardstock (Recollections); Crystal Stardream metallic cardstock (The Paper Cut); foam tape

Hello Honey

Here's my card for the current challenge at Freshly Made Sketches. I used one of the cute bee images from the Paper Smooches Bee Mine set to represent the layout's round element. The bee was colored with Copic markers and cut out with the matching die. I paired it with a scrap of hexagon patterned paper that looks like honeycomb. The patterned paper strip was edged with a narrow strip of coordinating lemon yellow cardstock before I adhered it to the right side of a light blue card base. The bee was added on top using foam tape for dimension. I stamped the set's "hello honey" sentiment in a straight line on a narrow strip of lemon yellow cardstock and used more foam tape to place it beneath the bee image. A pair of pale pink enamel hearts finished off the simple but sweet design.

Materials Used:
Bee Mine stamp set, Bee Mine Icons dies (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Soft Sky cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Lemon Tart cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Be(you)tiful 6x6 paper pad (Authentique); pink enamel hearts (Eyelet Outlet); foam tape

Aloe Friend

Here's my card for the current Fusion challenge. I combined the layout with elements from the inspiration photo (color scheme, gold accents, succulent) for this clean design.

My focal image is a succulent in a planter from the Paper Smooches Posh Planters set. I actually colored the image twice. The first time I wasn't thrilled with how the leaves turned out, so I colored the image a second time. I used my Scan 'n Cut machine to cut out the colored image, but somehow the mat moved and it cut part of the image. Fortunately, I was able to combine pieces from the two colored images to get one nice looking complete one! It's hard to see in the photo, but the purple succulent was cut out and adhered to the other image with foam tape for dimension. The image was adhered to the blue cardfront over a pair of die cut circle positioned over the right side of a pink cardstock strip. I combined words from two sentiment stamps--"aloe" from the Posh Planters set and "friend" from the Chit Chat set to get the "aloe friend" sentiment that I stamped above the trio of round (and round-ish) elements to finish the design.

Materials Used:
Posh Planters and Chit Chat stamp sets (Paper Smooches); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko/IMAGINE Crafts); markers (Copic); Soft Sky cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Pale Peony cardstock (Papertrey Ink); gold paper (Target); circle dies (Spellbinders); foam tape