Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge--Watermelon Wonder

It's time for a new Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge!  We had an amazing response to our first challenge, not just in the number of participants but in how incredible the submissions were.  Be sure to stop by and peruse the gallery if you haven't already!

For our second challenge, we have this fabulous inspiration board:

As an added treat, we have a generous sponsor this week.  Fresh Squeezed Stamps is offering a stamp set of the winner's choice to the LEAD for this week's challenge.  

For my take on the challenge, I pulled out the colors of coral, melon, yellow, and aqua and focused on the decorative medallions in the upper left corner of the inspiration board, which led me to PTI's Dot Spot stamp set.  After stamping the images on a strip of white cardstock, I adhered it to an aqua panel and stitched along the edge.  The die cut sentiment is from My Favorite Things.

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party), WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (Dot Spot)

Ink:  Stampin' up! (Calypso Coral, Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (Happy Hellos Die-namics), Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

Other:  thread

Be sure to visit the Curtain Call blog for all the details on the challenge and to see the rest of the samples from the Design Team!

I hope to see your entry in the gallery!

Simon Says...Patriotic Challenge

The Simon Says Stamp Challenge blog is having a Patriotic themed challenge this week, which is perfect timing as my cousin recently started boot camp at Fort Benning in Georgia.  I wanted to let him know how proud we are of his decision, and what better way to tell him than to emblazon the word "proud" right on the front of the card.

This came together very quickly, and the design was based on a graduation card I made recently.  I die cut the letters out of white cardstock first, then placed the letters back into the negative space while I stamped the stripes across the top.  Yes, it would have been easier to just stamp the stripes before die cutting, but I didn't think of that until afterwards.  :)

The white panel was given some texture with the linen & canvas impression plate (I think it's perfect for masculine cards).  I used navy patterned paper behind the letters and popped the top layer up with foam tape.  A few wooden stars add the finishing touch.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Patterned paper:  Echo Park (A Boy's Life)

Stamp:  Papertrey Ink (Faux Ribbon)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Real Red)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (Die-Namics High Rise Alphabet Lowercase), Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate)

Other:  Studio Calico (wood veneer stars)

Looks like this challenge ends in less than 24 hours, but there's still time to link up your patriotic card.

Have a happy one!

Monday Mood Board #14 with Fresh Cut Florals

I picked up a few new stamp sets recently, hoping they would coax my creativity out of hiding. I'm determined to get back into the stamping groove, and the pretty little Fresh Cut Florals set from WPlus9 may be just the thing to get me back into my craft room.

I'm playing along with Dawn's Monday Mood Board for the first time:

In lieu of the ikat pattern in the graphic, I chose some dots and stripes from Echo Park and used shades of yellow, hot pink, and chartreuse.  Stamping and cutting these little flowers couldn't have been any easier, and I can see them getting a lot of use.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Harvest Gold), WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Patterned paper:  Echo Park (Dots & Stripes: Soda Fountain)

Stamps:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Regal Rose, Melon Mambo, Lucky Limeade, So Saffron), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  WPlus9 Design Studio (Fresh Cut Florals dies), My Favorite Things (InstaFrame die)

Other:  sequins, thread

That's it for today!  I'm off to my LSS today to pick up some goodies for an upcoming project.  Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

Class of 2013

Hey friends!  I hope you're having a great weekend so far.  I've had a little bit of stamping time today, and boy am I rusty!

I wasted an incredible amount of cardstock making this.  The first version I made was perfect, until I smudged it with a blue fingerprint.  The next few attempts, I couldn't get the numbers lined up.  But I finally succeeded and managed to keep this one clean!

I made this card for our neighbors' daughter, who is graduating from high school this weekend.  The school colors are royal blue and white, and I was pretty limited in what I could use since the only royal blue item in my craft room was this ink from ColorBox.

The stripes on the base are from Avery Elle's Knotty.  I used Papertrey Ink's For the Graduate to add the graduation cap and "class of", masking the hat before stamping the border.  I also added texture to the die cut layer with the Linen & Canvas impression plate.

Cardstock:  WPlus9 Design Studio (White)

Stamps:  Papertrey Ink (For the Graduate), Avery Elle (Knotty)

Ink:  ColorBox (Royal Blue)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (By the Numbers dies), Papertrey Ink (Linen & Canvas impression plate), corner rounder

We're off to my daughter's softball playoff game this afternoon, and as much as I'm rooting for her team, I'm secretly looking forward to the end of the season and a bit more time to breathe.  LOL!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

Happy New (Blog) Year!

Hi there!  Guess what?  It's my blog anniversary!  Believe it or not, I've been posting here for 3 years, and it's because of people like you that I keep coming back.  That's right--YOU!

I continue to be amazed by the number of people who stop by regularly to see what I've been up to in my craft room, and I appreciate every visit, comment, and new follower.  Many, many thanks for keeping me going!

In the past year, I've been fortunate to guest design for two of my very favorite stamp companies--WPlus9 for their February/March release and Paper Smooches for their August Kismet set release.  So as a thanks to you, I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to either WPlus9 or Paper Smooches, winner's choice.  Just leave your thoughts, silly or serious, on this post for a chance to win, and I'll draw a name at random for the prize.

You have until 9:00 PM Eastern on March 28, 2013 to enter.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Soft Stone, Smokey Shadow), Stampin' Up! (Midnight Muse)

Stamps:  CAS-ual Fridays Stamps (Countdown)

Ink:  Versamark

Tools:  My Favorite Things (cityscape die), corner rounder

Other:  American Crafts (Zing silver embossing powder)

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about my card.  This was a recent reject for a Paper Crafts publication call, but it was my favorite submission this go-around.  :)


Thanks again for visiting!  See you back here soon.

CAS-ual Fridays #88--Love Letters

Please scroll down for Day 1 of the WPlus9 February/March Release previews!

Hello!  I'm back again with a fun new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays.  This week's theme is Love Letters:  use your alphabet stamps, stickers, or dies on your clean and simple creation.

I needed a birthday card for a little guy turning 5, so reached for my number dies and created "windows" in a panel of navy cardstock.  I popped the panel up with foam dots and highlighted the number "5" with a scrap of orange patterned paper behind it.

I kept the sentiment simple, since this little guy can't read yet.  :)  Embossed chevrons on the background and an orange star are the finishing touches.

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Midnight Muse), Papertrey Ink (Terracotta Tile)

Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye (Alphabet Soup)

Stamp:  Papertrey Ink (Birthday Basics)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Midnight Muse)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (numbers, tab die), Lifestyle Crafts (embossing folder), Papertrey Ink (star die), We R Memory Keepers (Corner Chomper)

Accessories:  button, DMC floss

I hope you'll join us this week!  Thanks so much for your visit!

Dream...then Do

Hi friends.  I intended to get this post up a little earlier, but we had a fun family day of ice skating.  :)  We were fortunate to have the day off from work and school in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

Thinking of Dr. King today, I decided to make a card using a sentiment from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps new set, Casual Elegance.  To me, this sentiment captures the essence of Dr. King's legacy.  It is not enough to dream of a better tomorrow; we must commit ourselves to making those dreams a reality.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream), Stampin' Up! (Island Indigo)

Patterned paper:  My Mind's Eye (Lost & Found Two: Breeze)

Stamp:  CAS-ual Fridays Stamps (Casual Elegance)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Island Indigo)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (polaroid die, star border die)

Accessories:  Michaels (star gems), seam binding, thread

I have a few dreams of my own for the coming year.  One of the more meaningful ones is to engage in more volunteer work, especially once my son starts all-day Kindergarten in the fall.

Another dream of mine?  To see my patterned paper stash diminish.  :)  I tried to put a teensy dent in it with this card, but I have a long way to go.

What are your dreams?  I'd love to hear.  :)

Thanks for stopping by today.  Have a great start to your week!

ColourQ #131

Hi there, friends!  I have a sweet and simple project to share with you today using the latest ColourQ palette.  Aren't these spring colors so pretty together?

I recently ordered some Pure Innocence images from My Favorite Things, and the first thing I wanted to do was make a bookmark for my 6 year old daughter, who is an avid reader.  She's in the middle of several chapter books and is always looking for colorful scraps to use as bookmarks.

I just love the pigtails on this little girl!  I paper pieced her outfit with designer papers from Stampin' Up!'s In Color collection and colored her skin and hair with Prisma pencils.  I added a fringed strip of Pear Pizzazz cardstock for the "grass" and some paper strips at the top, then punched a hole to add a loop of So Saffron ribbon.  I added my own sentiment with a Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write marker.

The back of the bookmark needed some love, too, so I covered it with patterned paper and stamped my daughter's name with alphabet stamps. 

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron), Papertrey Ink (White)

Patterned paper:  Stampin' Up! (2010 In Color Designer Series Paper)

Stamp:  My Favorite Things (Pure Innocence Being Cute is What I Do)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Chocolate Chip)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (polka dot impression plate), corner rounder, hole punch

Accessories:  Stampin' Up! (So Saffron ribbon)

Coloring medium:  Prismacolor Premier pencils

Don't be afraid to think outside the box with your ColourQ project!  It doesn't have to be a card to be in the running for Colour Queen, just as long as you use the challenge colors.

I have a busy week, so I haven't been around making as many comments, but I'm looking forward to a long Easter weekend.  Hope your week is going well so far!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Card Patterns sketch #158--Sponsored by My Favorite Things

Hi there, friends!  I hope you're having a great start to your weekend.  I had a wonderful time last night meeting Kim Hughes and Karolyn Loncon for a Paper Smooches card class in NH!  They were just as sweet as can be, and we made some darling cards with the PS stamps.  I'll be back later this weekend to share some photos!

Today it's time for a new Card Patterns sketch, and this week we're sponsored by My Favorite Things.

I finally ordered some new stamps from MFT last week, but you'll have to wait to see what I got!  For today's card, I used the Polka Dot Greetings stamp set and coordinating die.

I had these colors sitting out on my craft table and thought they made a fun and cheerful combo.  I stamped the polka dot frame in Real Red and Daffodil Delight onto a white panel.  I die cut one more frame and stamped it in Regal Rose with one of the sentiments from the set, then popped it up on foam dots.

I wrapped a piece of wide, striped ribbon around the Regal Rose panel.  At the bottom, I folded a paper doily in half and stitched it in place with a black eyelet border along the top.

To make the butterfly embellishment, I used a PTI die to cut it out from white cardstock, then used a border from Ribbon Tails to stamp each wing with a polka dot pattern.  I added the black outline with a coordinating stamp from Butterfly Dreams and stitched a black button to the center.

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Regal Rose), Papertrey Ink (White)

Stamps:  My Favorite Things (Polka Dot Greetings), Papertrey Ink (Ribbon Tails, Butterfly Dreams)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Regal Rose), Memento (Tuxedo Black)

Tools:  My Favorite Things (label die), Papertrey Ink (eyelet border die, butterfly die), corner rounder

Accessories:  Wilton (paper doily), Stampin' Up! (ribbon), button, thread

Stop by the Card Patterns blog for details on this week's challenge and prize!

Thanks for visiting today!  Have a good one!

Card Patterns sketch #154

Hello, friends!  It's been a little quiet around here, as we still have visitors and my kids are home for winter break.  I love having them home, but I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal routine next week!

Happily, I did find some time this week to play with a new sketch at Card Patterns, which I think you're going to love.

This week we are sponsored again by My Favorite Things.  They have a wonderful collection of clear stamps and exclusive dies, and they were kind enough to provide the Design Team with some goodies to use on our cards.  I chose the Polka Dot Greetings stamp set, which also comes with a coordinating die.

To make a unique scalloped border, I stamped just the ends of one of the polka dot frames along the bottom of the white cardstock panel using Calypso Coral ink.  I added a stitched strip of Pool Party cardstock and some Pool Party ruffled ribbon.

The flower was made using PTI's Beautiful Blooms dies and an Aqua Mist button.  I added a cute, scripty sentiment from Polka Dot Greetings in Island Indigo ink.

The whole panel is mounted on an Island Indigo card base, and I tucked some small strips of polka dot aqua paper from PTI's Library Ledger at the ends.

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Island Indigo, Calypso Coral, Pool Party), Papertrey Ink (White)

Patterned paper:  Papertrey Ink (Library Ledger)

Stamps:  My Favorite Things (Polka Dot Greetings)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Calypso Coral, Island Indigo)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Beautiful Blooms dies), corner rounder

Accessories:  Stampin' Up! (Pool Party ruffled ribbon), Papertrey Ink (Aqua Mist button), thread, DMC floss

I love how this turned out, especially this fun color combo.  I hope you'll find some time to play along with the sketch this week, too!

Thanks for visiting!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Card Patterns sketch #150

Ah, the weekend!  I've been enjoying a lazy morning with some quality time in my crafty space.  I hope your weekend is off to a great start, too!

If you need some inspiration to jump-start your next crafting session, look no further than this week's sketch at Card Patterns!  It features a fun diamond shaped panel, but you'll have to check out the samples on the Card Patterns blog to see just some of the ways this element can be interpreted.  I hope you'll share your creative ideas with us this week as well!

As an added bonus this week, one lucky participant will receive a $25 shopping spree from our generous sponsor, My Favorite Things.  Who wouldn't love that?

Now I must admit, I struggled with this sketch.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to choose a stamp set from My Favorite Things to work with this week, but I had a hard time deciding how I would make it work with the sketch.  The set I chose was the Die-Namics Polka Dot Greetings Die and Stamp Set Duo, which has the cutest sentiments and fonts and a fun label shape.

I finally decided to use the sentiment "I just can't thank you enough".  I wanted to stamp the "thank you" part of the sentiment repeatedly on the background, so I actually cut the stamp apart, which is something I do occasionally if selective inking isn't an option.  I stamped a piece of Early Espresso cardstock with the words in Versamark, then heat embossed them with clear powder.

The diamond shape is one of Spellbinders Labels Three Nesties, cut from Vintage Cream cardstock and stamped with the full sentiment.  

I punched a border strip from Very Vanilla DSP and added a wide strip of Rose Red grosgrain ribbon tied at the side.  

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! (Rose Red, Early Espresso), Papertrey Ink (Vintage Cream)

Patterned paper:  Stampin' Up! (Neutrals DSP)

Stamps:  My Favorite Things (Die-Namics Polka Dot Greetings Die & Stamp Set Duo)

Ink:  Stampin' Up! (Early Espresso), Tsukineko (Versamark)

Tools:  Spellbinders (Labels Three), Fiskars (border punch)

Accessories:  Stampin' Up! (ribbon), Michaels (pearls), Stampendous (clear embossing powder), DMC floss

You will definitely be seeing more of this stamp set and its coordinating die soon!  Thanks, MFT!

I hope you'll play along with the sketch this week.  Thanks for stopping by today!