Leafy Thanks

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. It's based on this simple one layer card. I tried to keep my design to a single layer, but in the end I couldn't resist adding some texture with a twill strip. Otherwise, my design is pretty similar to the inspiration card.

I used two different stamp sets from Practicing Creativity for my card. The leafy branch image from Fall Fest is stamped three times in green ink on the Sahara Sand card base. I changed up the image just a bit each time I stamped it to add interest, just like on the original card. I grounded the branches with a strip of dark brown twill placed just under the branches and extending a little bit beyond the card's edge.

The thank you sentiment from You're Dandy is stamped next to the branches in brown ink. Because the image I used was taller than the one in the original card, I shifted the placement of the sentiment a little lower than on the original card. I thought about adding a button or some brads, but in the end, decided to keep the card as is.

Materials Used:

Fall Fest and You're Dandy stamp sets (Practicing Creativity Designs); Dark Chocolate and Ripe Avocado inks (Papertrey Ink); Sahara Sand cardstock (Stampin' Up!); coffee bean twill (Martha Stewart); corner rounder

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

Dandy Birthday

Here’s a clean and simple card made based on a sketch challenge from Practicing Creativity. I used the dandelion images from the Just Dandy set, remembering how when I was little, we used to blow on the fluffy dandelion seeds and make a wish as they floated away--just like the wishes made on birthday candles as they're being blown out. Seems like a nice match!

I stamped the images in brown ink, stamped off once to soften the color, on a green panel. The images are highlighted with a clear Stardust pen for a subtle sparkle. I added a green gem at the center of each flower for more sparkle. The “happy birthday” sentiment fit nicely in the lower right corner of the panel.

The patterned paper panel along the bottom of the cardfront is what inspired my color choices. The images from the SEI Dill Blossom line are a nice match for the Just Dandy images, aren’t they? I wrapped a piece of dark brown satin ribbon around the paper panel before attaching it to the card base. The stamped image panel is layered on to the card with foam tape. Simple, but still special and sparkly, too.

Materials Used:
Just Dandy stamp set (Practicing Creativity); Soft Suede ink, Kiwi Kiss and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Hawaiian Shores cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Dill Blossom designer paper (SEI); clear Stardust pen (Sakura); green rhinestones (Darice); brown satin ribbon (Target); foam tape

Fly a Kite or Two

Happy Saturday! Chloe the cutie puppy and I are getting ready to head out to session 2 of her puppy kindergarten class this morning. We’ve been practicing the “sit” command like crazy all week and I think she’s gotten the hang of it. On to bigger and better things! Before we go, I thought I’d share my card for this week’s sketch challenge at Paper Craft Planet. It’s designed by Wendy and sponsored by Stampendous. I think there might be a prize giveaway for one lucky challenge participant . . .

I flipped the sketch to make this fun birthday card. I used images from the Just Dandy set from Practicing Creativity Designs. The cloud image was stamped 3 times on some shimmery white paper and colored just a bit with Copic markers. The clouds are arranged on a gingham panel from October Afternoon’s Fly a Kite collection. I stamped the kite image on a scrap of yellow. The image is stamped on the image panel, overlapping the clouds. The kite pieces are attached with foam tape for dimension and interest. I stamped the birthday sentiment along the side of the panel in black ink.

To make a grass-like base for my simple scene, I pleated some grosgrain ribbon along the bottom edge of the gingham panel. It’s machine stitched in place so it’s secure. A dotted scallop edged strip and a matching lemon strip finish off the card.

If you have a chance to play along, upload your card to the PCP gallery with the keyword sk050810 so that it can be added to the album with the rest of this week’s creations.

Materials Used:
Just Dandy stamp set (Practicing Creativity Designs); Hawaiian Shores and Lemon Tart cardstock, medium scallop edge die (Papertrey Ink); Regal Rose and Shimmery White cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); markers (Copic); designer paper (October Afternoon-Fly a Kite line); green grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); sewing machine; foam tape

Just Dandy

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. It's based on this card. I really liked its soft color combination.

I replaced the leafy images on the original card with the dandelion images from the Just Dandy set from Practicing Creativity. The images are stamped at varying heights on a Lavendar Moon panel. I changed the colors up a bit from the inspiration card, stamping on a colored panel instead of a white one and stamping all the images with full-strength ink instead of stamping off for some. I added tiny sparkly dots at the end of each dandelion fluff using a Stardust pen. It's really subtle, but so pretty IRL!

I embossed a gray strip with a dotted embossing folder and attached that underneath the stamped panel. The "just dandy" sentiment is stamped in Plum Pudding ink on a Lavendar Moon panel. I tied a piece of silvery gray satin ribbon around the card, just where the stamped and embossed panels meet, for an elegant touch.

Materials Used:

Just Dandy stamp set (Practicing Creativity Designs); Plum Pudding and Smokey Shadow inks, Plum Pudding and Lavendar Moon cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Basic Gray cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Polka Dots embossing folder (QuicKutz); silver satin ribbon (Target); clear Stardust pen (Sakura)

Practicing Creativity with Practicing Creativity Designs

I recently ordered a pair of stamp sets from a relatively new company called Practicing Creativity Designs. I tried them out for the first time on these two cards.

The first card is for this week's sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You. I used the argyle elements from the Key to My Heart stamp set to create my own background paper on the kraft panel. I used pigment inks for a nice, opaque look. I love how pigment inks look on kraft cardstock! The images were really easy to line up and it took almost no time to stamp the entire quarter sheet background.

I pleated some red ribbon to run down the center of the strip in the middle of the card. The bow was made with my new-found friend, the Bow Easy. Now that I get how to use this thing, I haven't put it down! The set's "i heart u" sentiment is stamped on a pair of layered heart die cuts and attached to the cardfront using foam tape.

Materials Used:
Key to My Heart stamp set (Practicing Creativity); Real Red and Chocolate Chip Craft inks, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, and Kraft cardstock (Stampin' Up!); heart dies (Nestabilities); red grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); Bow Easy; sewing machine; foam tape

This card uses the Just Dandy set. I used the set's cloud and kite images to create a simple spring scene on a Top Note die base. I cut some patterned paper with the die, then arranged the scene elements, all stamped on scraps of paper. The clouds were cut from some scraps of bright, diagonal striped patterned paper. The kite's a bold pink. The grass was punched with a border punch and layered with some foam tape for dimension.

I attached the scene to a bright pink card base, matching the kite. The set's "congrats" sentiment is stamped on a green strip and layered on the card to overlap the scene just a bit. I used my Bow Easy (again!) to make the coordinating blue satin bow that completed the card.

I have some other ideas in mind for these sets, so keep an eye out for them in the upcoming days . . .

Materials Used:
Just Dandy stamp set (Practicing Creativity); Tuxedo Black ink (Memento); Melon Mambo and Kiwi Kiss cardstock, Top Note die (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (October Afternoon; DCWV-Flower Shower matstack); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); blue satin ribbon (Michaels); foam tape