You're Spec-Tacular!

I'm so excited to get to play in a few challenges today! I'm playing in the Just Us Girls trend challenge to use all over stamping. I used the Paper Smooches Incognito stamp set for this card and stamped the glasses in black along with some smoochy lips in red ink. I embellished the frames with some rhinestones for a little added bling.

I'm also linking this card to the Paper Players Color Challenge PP327 using black, white and red!

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks!

What a beautiful weekend it has been here in Colorado! The sky is the perfect shade of blue and some of the trees in my neighborhood are turning a little bit gold. It's been a fun weekend too! Yesterday I got to drive to Fort Collins to meet up with my daughter for lunch and a little shopping. She lives in Laramie and FoCo is just about halfway for both of us. It was great to spend a few hours with her. While we were gone, my sister was on call to let my dog in and out of her kennel since we didn't know how long we would be gone. Well, she was having such a fun time with Lucy that she just stayed here! Above and beyond dog watching so I made her this little thank you card.

I originally intended to stamp the background circles but found that none of my green inks were the bright green I was going for so I decided to use some patterned paper. When I was done I realized that I didn't use any stamping at all on this card! It was fun to make and I succeeded in getting sticky fingers (from the glue) instead of inky fingers so it's all good! 

I also played along with a couple of challenges while creating this card.

The first was The Cas(e) this sketch challenge .

And the second challenge is the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge which is a fun color challenge inspired by cupcakes! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

NBUS!

Hi all! 

Wow! I am so excited that I actually got to play in the NBUS Challenge #5! All the stars aligned this time for sure. Thanks, Darnell, for such a fun challenge. I've wanted to play for a long time. 

My NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) on this card was Swanky Snowdudes from Paper Smooches. I got this set last March in order to get a head start on my Christmas cards. Ahem. So yeah, not much of a head start, huh?

The other NBUS was a recent purchase of Prismacolor colored pencils and Gamsol. I'm super new to coloring but I think this first attempt with something other than markers wasn't too terrible!

Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks! (Er.... I think?)

The last year has been a tough one for us with our dogs. My best boy, Scout passed away suddenly in August 2014 and then Molly, the dog with nine lives, died in April.  We had them since they were puppies and they were 12 and almost 13 when they passed. Our house apparently just does not feel like home without a dog so just one month after Molly died, we decided we needed another dog. This time we decided that we wanted a more seasoned dog instead of a puppy so we applied at Mile High Lab Rescue to adopt an older lab. Well. Our adoption contact just happened to be expecting a yellow two year old that week and thought we would be a perfect fit for her. Two was a little younger than we had hoped for but we decided we would "go look at her" to see how she was. Anyone who knows us knows that we can never just go look at a dog without bringing them home. :) And so Lucy (who it turned out was really closer to one than to two) became our newest family member.  I mean who could resist this face?

She really is a sweet girl even though she has WAY more puppy in her than we were planning for. It will keep us young, right? 

I made this card for our adoption coordinator to say thanks for keeping her for us and taking care of her for the week we were out of town when she arrived in Colorado. 

Often I have a hard time imagining how different stamp sets can work together but I actually used four different sets on this card and I think it turned out kind of cute! It was kind of thick with the dog bone ribbon I used so I hope it made it through the mail with the extra postage I put on the envelope. I have had several cards go completely missing in the postal system lately, even some that were flat so who even knows. 

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Welcome Sweet Baby!

Hi there! Last week I attended the baby shower of a daughter of a good friend of mine. I have known this young lady since she was just 7 years old and it doesn't seem possible that she is now old enough to be married and expecting her first little daughter! How can these "kids" be getting so old when I am still so young? LOL! 

This card is a complete CASE of a card by the talented Lynn Put. I totally used her design and the same stamp set. The only changes I made were to the sentiment stamp and the color scheme. Her card was perfection and I just had to copy it. 

The stamp set is Fox and Friends by Stampin' Up! and the sentiment is from Making a Statement by Verve Stamps. The colors are Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight. 

 And since I'm sure many people can relate, here is the craftermath of one single, solitary card. How does this even happen??? But it does and is the reason I have to clean up after each and every card before I can start on the next one. 

Thanks for stopping by today! 

Button Bear

Happy Wednesday! Oh my goodness this has been such a crazy week at work. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round and any minute I'm going to lose my grip and go flying off the edge. That's one of the reasons I like crafting. I can just come home and kind of go into a creative zone where I have no deadlines and no one clamoring for my attention. Well, except my dog but she is a great crafting buddy! Good thing my husband isn't the clamoring type either. :)

Today I am sharing a card that I made for the latest challenge over at the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog and this time it was a sketch challenge. For my card I used one of my oldest stamp sets, Button Bear from Stampin' Up!. I remember when I bought this set that I really had to think long and hard about if I wanted to buy it. It was at the top of my budget and buying it would mean I couldn't buy anything else from the catalog for awhile. I was glad to be able to pull out this little bear and show an old stamp set some love. 

I hope you can still see the sketch somewhat as the little bear lends himself more to a square than a longer rectangle. 

This card really highlights how much I need to learn how to color! How about you? Are you a good colorer? I am reluctant to spend a ton of money on the huge variety of markers it seems I would need to do a lot of shading. I need to look for a website that offers recommendations of markers to start with that will give me some practice to decide if that's a direction I want to go. Any advice?

Thanks for stopping by today! 

OWH #245 and a Chopped-style challenge

Do you like to watch cooking shows? I like some of them, others not so much. But one that I DO like to watch is Chopped. In case you haven't ever seen it, the contestants are given a mystery basket with four ingredients and they have to use everything in the basket in some way. They can use a lot or a little but everything in the basket must make it onto the plate. 

A couple of years ago, one of my work friends and I were talking about how we were in a rut of using the same stamps and accessories and how we wanted to get out of it. The idea of a chopped-style challenge came up and sounded like fun. I have all my stamp sets typed on slips of paper in one bag, all my accessories in another, and all my punches in another. I draw out one of each and whatever shows up is what I have to work with. I can add other "ingredients" but each one of the slips of paper must be represented. 

Today, I decided it was time for a Chopped-style stamping challenge since I haven't done one in a while. 

So what are we working with today?  My mystery "ingredients" are:

Stamp set: Flower Fest
Punch: Spiral Border
Accessory: Rhinestones

And this is what I created:

I used a sketch from Operation Write Home (sketch #245). I love their sketches since they give dimensions. Does anyone else ever struggle with that? Some days I do fine and some days I cannot get the scale of all the pieces to work well together when I am eyeballing it. 

Today was a miss you card since the founder of OWH, Sandy, said they were a little low on those. I hope one of the service members will choose this and whoever they are missing feels the love they are sending. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Back in the (card making) Saddle!

Gosh it feels good to be back in my craft room. We finished our basement this summer and while I absolutely love it, it has taken awhile to get everything put back together again. And even then, I set my room up in a completely different configuration so I don't really have a feel yet for how my space works best for me and where all my tools are. I find myself reaching for something in it's "normal" spot only to find that it's not there which is exactly what happened when I started making this card. I am playing along with the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog challenge to use my crimper. I swear it took me longer to locate the crimper in it's new home than it did to make the card!

I am new to reading the Retro Rubber Challenge blog but I know it will become one of my favorites. We all spend so much time and money getting our new stamps and then they languish in our cupboards. Or is that just me? So this card not only used the crimper for the challenge but also one of my older stamp sets, Best of Everything.  I am also submitting this for the sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps. I turned the sketch onto its side to make it work with the stamp set I chose. I really liked this sketch and know that I will keep it in my arsenal. 

Thanks for stopping by!

MAMBI Friends

Hi there! Oh my gosh! I had so much fun this weekend making some kid cards for Operation Write Home! I don't really have many kids stamp sets but I had the idea to use some stickers instead. I have loved MAMBI kids since my daughter was a little girl and I still had some languishing away in my scrapbooking supplies. So I pulled them out and here's what I made:

What do you think? Do you love these little "kids" as much as I do? I hope there are some children of our heroes that get a kick out of them. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you!

Hi all! Today's card is very much in my style. Don't get me wrong, I love all styles of cards and frequently use Pinterest for inspiration and down and out copying of designs. It's because I have a little secret. I do not have the gene that knows how to put little extra touches on things. My cards are usually on the simple side with me looking at it and saying things like "I know it needs something right HERE, but what?". My decorating style is much the same. I don't have stuff around just for making things look extra cute. I just don't know HOW! Can any of you relate?

Anyway on to my card.

I really liked how the linen thread wrapped around the first layer. And the only other dimension is popped up under the little hearts. I like these flat cards because they are perfect for mailing and also using to fill my boxes for Operation Write Home. I have a goal to send two large boxes this year so I will need many of these flatter designs to get the most bang for my OWH buck! 

I used inspiration from a sketch challenge recently posted but I'm not sure which one. If you recognize it, let me know and I'll link up.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheery Cherries

Hi all! 

You're eyes do NOT deceive you. I really do have two posts in one day. My husband is working nights this week and none of my favorite TV shows are on so I have been getting some cards made. It's been fun even though I really do miss him being around here in the evenings. So do my dogs! It's a little like I'm chopped liver. Wait. I think they would kinda like that. :) 

Anyway, I am linking this up to the OWH Sketch Challenge #211.Yes, I realize that I did this one and challenge 212 backwards. I won't tell if you don't. 

Doesn't that just scream "Summer!" to you? I love the SU cherries stamp with Crystal Effects on them. The shine isn't really captured here but it's really awesome.  Add in some Summer Picnic paper and I'm ready to go cherry picking! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Hello!

Hey all! I hope you are all doing well and staying warm. We had an unseasonably warm day today here in Colorado. It was one of those days that gets the spring fever going. But I know we still have at least two more months of snow.

Today I am playing along with the OWH Sketch Challenge #212. I always love OWH sketches because the measurements they have are really helpful! 

I really like the colors I used here (Baja Breeze, Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, Basic Gray - all SU) but I feel like I'm missing something in the top half of the card. Any suggestions? 

Thanks for stopping by!

OWH VCMP Challenge #2

Wow! This was a challenging challenge! We are to use the O - W - H in Operation Write Home to inspire our creativity. What a great idea!

Can you tell how I used the challenge? For the O, I did an outdoors scene, for the W I used watercoloring technique and for the H I made it into a hello card. 

For the background I used watercolor paper and my Stampin Up reinkers. I spritzed the paper with water and then using my Aquapainter, I dripped ink onto the paper and just kind of scribbled it back and forth until I got the look I was going for. I really liked how this one turned out and I loved how relaxing it was to do the watercoloring. I will have to remember that for the future.

Thanks for stopping by!

CS: Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, watercolor paper

Ink: Black Stazon, daffodil delight, Marina Mist, Old Olive, Pool Party

Stamps: Just Believe, Posy Punches

Accessories: 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, black embossing powder, black grosgrain ribbon

OWH Virtual Cardmaking Party 2013 Challenge #1

Hi all!

I am so excited that I actually get to take part in making some cards for the Virtual Cardmaking Party! Normally on Labor Day weekend, I'm back trying to get homework done for school. But this year, my class doesn't start until Tuesday so I'm FREE.

I was excited to see Nancy's sketch and challenge first thing this morning because I really am in the mood to start on Christmas cards for our heros. And this one gave me the opportunity to use some paper that I still have on hand from last year.

I looked all over for my 1" Square punch but can't find it anywhere. Do you suppose I really don't have one? I had the CM one for years but was sure I bought a SU one. Oh well, another thing for my list.

I will have to come back and edit my supplies list. I cannot remember the name of this DSP. Does anyone remember?

CS: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla
DSP: ???
Stamps: Many Merry Messages
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler quilted ribbon

OWH Sketch Challenge #181

Good morning! I hope you are all enjoying your summer. I have been spending most of mine enjoying having my daughter home for a few weeks. She graduated from CSU in May and is off to Ohio (gulp!) in August to earn her Master's degree. It's been wonderful to have her here!

I have also started creating cards for Operation Write Home. It's a wonderful organization you can check out here.  It feels so good to be creating for our heros and knowing that my cards will ultimately be used to connect with someone.

Here is a card that I created for OWH Sketch Challenge #181. I love the sketches OWH shares because they have MEASUREMENTS! I tend to follow sketches pretty literally so the measurements are suited to my personality. This one was especially in need of measurements because there are many pieces to it.

I  really like the color combination of Real Red and Bashful Blue. The hint of Pumpkin Pie orange adds just that little bit extra, I think. This is a very old Stampin' Up! set called Bow Wow. I will never quit using it although I am inspired by OWH to vastly improve my coloring skills. :)

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

A New Favorite Card!

Hi all! Please don't fall over in shock that I have blogged a whole two days in a row! I am using this as the ultimate in procrastination from studying. It's not a good situation but I am really disliking the class so to force myself to do the work, I allow myself X amount of stamping time after I finish X amount of school work. Needless to say, I've been doing a lot the end of this semester so I have more cards to show! 

This one is inspired by a card I saw at Vicki Burdick's blog, It's a Stamp Thing. I really like her cards but we have very different styles. She does very elaborate work and as much as I try to emulate that style sometimes, I'm a clean and simple girl at heart. You know how they tell you to accessorize by adding everything you want and then take away one thing to get the perfect balance? I find that I have to finish everything the way that I think looks great and then find one more thing to ADD so that it doesn't look UNfinished. 

I think I nailed it with this card! It seems a good, clean and simple card with just one accent added to make it look finished. And I LOVE how those butterflies turned out. I forgot how much I liked coloring with reinkers and an blender pen. This color combination is a new favorite for sure.

I hope you like it too!

Stamps: Papillon Potpourri, Punch Posy 
Paper: Sahara Sand, Crushed Curry, UR Sweet DSP (long retired)
Ink: Versamark, Taken with Teal, markers
Accessories: two tags die, hemp twine, postage stamp punch, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, rich razzleberry stiched ribbon, hexagon embossing folder

Best of Everything Mojo Monday 290

Happy Sunday! It has been beautiful here the last couple of days and I think spring may finally have decided to stay in Colorado. Well, until the rain/snow mix we are supposed to get on Wednesday.  Oh well, it won't be long until I'm complaining about the heat. :) 

The color combination on this card combined with the strawberry image seems very springy to me. And this sketch was fun to work with even though creating it for a challenge was not even originally my plan. Sometimes when I don't have a specific card to make but I feel like creating, I will create challenges just for myself. The challenge this time was to open a gallery at Splitcoast, scroll down and randomly put my finger on a card and then use that card as inspiration whether it was color, layout or stamp set. This one happened to be the layout and when I clicked through to see the details on the card, realized it was a Mojo Monday card! 

This card uses some retiring stamps from Stampin Up!. I will continue to use them though because they are some of my favorites. Distressed Dots will be one that they will have to pry from my cold, dead fingers. 

I hope you enjoyed this card! Challenge yourself today to create something new!

Stamps: Best of Everything, Round Array, Distressed Dots
Paper: Crumb Cake, Pool Party, Real Red, Brights Collection paper stack
Ink: Real Red, Pool Party, Versamark, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: clear embossing powder, rhinestone brads, grosgrain ribbon, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch

Oldie But Goodie

Good morning! I have another card to share today that is an oldie but a goodie. In fact, I had to do a Google search to find the name of this stamp set because I have had it for so long. I didn't used to label my sets back when I first started stamping so it is a challenge to find them again.  I will definitely label it now though! It is one of those sets that, every time I do a purge, I can't bear to part with. I think that's partly because it was one of the first sets I bought and it just reminds me of happy times. My daughter was just a 4 year old! That's a long time to keep a set. Does it look super dated? 

I paper pieced his scarf and his little bird friends and then just did some light coloring with markers.  

So what do you think? Should I keep him? Move him to the purge pile? See if early 90's homespun comes back into fashion? 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Stitched Snowman, Delightful Decorations

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Ink: Black Stazon, Real Red, Sahara Sand, Pink Pirouette, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: 3/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, 1 1/4" scallop punch, dotted ribbon scallop punch misc red button, white bakers twine

What I Did Over My Thanksgiving Break

Holy cats! Has it really been that long since I've blogged? 

I really have been creating cards! I just have been posting only in my Splitcoast Stampers gallery I guess. I think maybe that might be something to work on in the New Year, huh?

Anyway, today's card is my submission to this week's Friday Mashup challenge. And wow! It really was a challenge! This week we were to create a holiday card without using a holiday stamp set and a messy technique. So fun!

The stamp set I chose was Storybook Friends. I love this set and was originally planning on the fox wearing a Santa hat but it just ended up not looking quite right with the banner. I still think he's cute!

My messy technique was to add Flower Soft as snow. Although it is not really a technique per se, it IS really messy (at least for me!) as I get Flower Soft everywhere! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Storybook Friends, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Crumb Cake card stock, Whisper White, Gumball Green, Polka Dot Parade DSP
Ink: Black stazon, white gel pen, caramel ink (retired)
Other: Scallop edge punch, corner rounder (not SU), Flower Soft (not SU)

Welcome, Baby!

Hi there! Today's card is an especially happy one! We just welcomed our first little grand-nephew to the world about a week ago. Such an exciting time for his little family!

I saw this card on LeeAnn Greff's blog and I just had to CASE it. It is nearly identical to hers except that I cannot for the life of me figure out how to do the two toned coloring with the embossing folder that she does. But I still think this turned out rather cute!



I used the houndstooth embossing folder and put my ink right on the folder before I placed my card stock in it and ran it through the Big Shot. I think it really added a lot of interest and I love how it turned out.

I also made some little Kimono Shoes following the pattern that I purchased from sweetpeapattern on etsy. It doesn't look like she has any more of this pattern but she has some other awfully cute ones. I need to make another pair because after I finished I realized that I didn't sew with the correct seam allowance so they are a bit on the wide side! They took very little fabric though and I still have some left so all it will take is a little time. :) This photo makes them look HUGE but I promise they are not that big. My photography skills just need a bit of work.

Cardstock: So Saffron, Whisper White

Stamps: Easy Events

Ink: Black Stazon

Marker: So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery

Accessories: Houndstooth Embossing Folder, Tasteful Trim Die, Certainly Celery ribbon (retired), Brad (non-SU)