Friendly Bird Card

I'm so glad that the WICKED SU! demo challenges on Splitcoast Stampers last an entire month! The card that I am sharing with you was actually started last week and I finally finished it up this morning! Funny how that happens sometimes, right? There are usually 3 WICKED challenges a month- a sketch, a color challenge, and a technique challenge. The challenge is to only use current Stampin' Up! products to create your cards. This card was inspired by the color challenge: to use Mellow Moss, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla together on a card. Here is what I came up with:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Friends 24-7 set, Fresh Cuts set, En Francais background
Ink: Chocolate Chip and Mellow Moss classic inks
Paper: Mellow Moss, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip cardstock; Bella Rose DSP
Accessories: Very Vanilla wide grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Halfback Pearls from the Pretties kit; White Signo Gel pen, paper piercer, Sponges, Dimensionals, Blender pen

I lightly stamped the En Francais background onto the card base. Then, I used sponges to add Mellow Moss ink to the edges. I pierced holes around the outside and added faux stitching with the Signo gel pen. Next, I added my patterned paper, tearing one edge. I added a torn strip of Mellow Moss cardstock and a punched Chocolate Chip strip to the card base. I then added my ribbon. For the main image, I stamped the background using Mellow Moss ink on to Very Vanilla cardstock and inked around the edges using a sponge. I stamped the bird with Chocolate Chip ink onto Mellow Moss cardstock and cut him out. I then stamped the same image onto Very Vanilla cardstock and added a little color in the branch using residual ink and a blender pen. I cut the branch out and stuck it to my main image. Then, I added the bird, using Dimensionals to pop him up. I matted the whole thing in Chocolate Chip cardstock and adhered it to my card base. Next, I stamped my sentiment over the damask design on Very Vanilla cardstock and added Mellow Moss ink around the edges with a sponge. I also matted this in Chocolate Chip cardstock and adhered it to the card base with Dimensionals. Last, I added the halfback pearls in the corners of my main image. It just needed a little extra detail!

It is a rainy day here and I'm happy to be stuck inside! I have lots of ideas for cards in my head today and hopefully I can get some out on paper before they disappear! Hee!

Hope you all are enjoying your day!

-tessa

A Good Day!

Today I'm smiling from ear to ear! I get to pick a free stamp set out of the current Stampin' Up! catalog and you'd never guess why!! I entered this little card into the last creative challenge on Shelli Gardner's blog, So Shelli and it won! It was picked as a winner by Shelli herself so it makes it even better! I'm pretty excited about it!

It's also a good day because I got to finish up a card that's been in the works since last week! I was planning on using it for Kristina Werner's latest color challenge but since I missed the deadline, I added a little yellow to it! I also used the sketch for the April WICKED challenge on the Demo side of Splitcoast Stampers. If you're a SU! demo, check these out! They are a lot of fun to participate in! Anyways, here's the card!



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Petal Pizazz set, Cheep Talk set, Big Deal Alphabet set, Polkadot background stamp
Ink: Rose Red, Summer Sun, Kiwi Kiss, Pacific Point classic inks
Paper: Rose Red, Basic Black, Summer Sun, Whisper White cardstock; Bella Rose DSP
Accessories: Paper Piercer, Signo White Gel pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects, 1/2" Circle punch, Circle Scissor Plus, Clear Embossing powder

I started by cutting the Kiwi Kiss polkadot paper into triangles. I matted them onto the black and then adhered them to my Rose Red cardbase. I stamped and cut out all the flowers and added a little Dazzling Diamonds to the centers of them using my 2-way glue pen. Next, I cut out the black circle and stamped it with the Polkadot Background stamp and Versamark. I heat embossed this with clear embossing powder and matted it with the white circle. Next, I created the yellow scallop edge by punching 1/2" circles out of Summer Sun cardstock and adhering them to the edge of the circle. I placed the flowers where I wanted them and stuck the whole piece down onto the front of my card. I stamped the HI letters onto Whisper White cardstock using Rose Red ink. I covered them with Crystal Effects and sprinkled Dazzling Diamonds glitter onto them. Then I let them dry!When they were done (after an hour or so) I cut them out and stuck them onto my card front. The finished size is 5 1/2" Square.

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to enter to win some blog candy on yesterday's post!

-tessa

Love You Much

Good morning! I had the best night last night! We went to Ikea for dinner and some shopping and when I got home, my new Stampin' Up! catalogs were sitting at the door! Let me tell you- AWESOME! My list of wants is already super long! Hee! Then, I get in, get the girls to bed and finally sit down to check my email. Well, more good news! I finally sent a card in to Cards Magazine (after saying for about a year that I would) and it got picked up for their June issue! Hee! Pretty good evening, wouldn't you say!!

Anyways, with such good news about cards, I wanted to make something! I decided to play along with this month's WICKED color challenge. We had to use Cameo Coral, Blush Blossom, and Baja Blue. I used my new Love You much set to make this:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Love You Much set
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Blue Classic inks
Paper: Baja Blue, Cameo Coral, Blush Blossom, Kraft card stock; watercolor paper
Accessories: Piercing tool, Scallop Edge punch, Kraft taffeta ribbon, White Signo gel pen, Aqua Writers, Dimensionals

I stamped the hearts onto watercolor paper and colored them in using my aqua writer. After they dried, I added white details to it with the gel pen. I also colored in my 'love' with the gel pen. All the stitching is faux, also with the pen! Hee! I think it may be a new favorite tool!!

Anyways, all you demos out there should get your SUO on and play along with the WICKED challenge at Splitcoast Stampers!!

Have a great day!

-tessa

A Fabulous Flower Card

When I first discovered Stampin' Up! this was the first set that caught my eye! I love the huge flower and the sentiment... Today I am using it as part of a color challenge on the demo side of Splitcoast Stampers. For this month's WICKED color challenge, we had to use Tangerine Tango, Always Artichoke, Bordering Blue, and Basic Black. I had fun trying them out! Here is what I came up with:



Goodies:
All goodies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Fabulous Flowers set; Dreams DuJour set; En Francais background stamp
Ink: Bordering Blue, Always Artichoke, Tangerine Tango, and Basic Black classic inks
Paper: Basic Black, Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Bordering Blue card stock
Other: Dimensionals, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Basic Black narrow grosgrain ribbon, Paper Piercer, Filigree Designer Brads, Sponge Daubers, Blender Pen, Stamp-a-ma-jig

I started by stamping the flower three times with Tangerine Tango ink on Whisper White card stock. I cut one out whole, one out around the middle section of petals and one out around just the center of petals. I used dimensionals to build them up into a three dimensional flower. I used a 2 way glue pen to trace one side of each petal and add Dazzling Diamonds glitter to it. What a mess I had! All those petals... hee!

Next, I got busy on the background pieces. I knew I wanted to use En Francais on the Bordering blue so I cut a square and stamped it out with Bordering Blue ink. I sponged around the edge- I think it gives it a more finished look. Then I added the piercings around the edge and gave it a mat. I distressed that a little bit with my Decor Elements tool- it is what you are supposed to use to put those giant rub-ons on your wall but it makes a great little distresser, too! Hee!

For the Always Artichoke piece in the background, I got out my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig and the butterfly stamp from Dreams DuJour. I stamped a pattern using Always Artichoke ink. I also sponged around the edges of this piece, too.

I decided to create my sentiment panel next, stamping it onto Whisper White card stock with Basic Black ink. Since I don't have the Stampin' Up! markers yet (please Santa bring them!) I used a blender pen with the residual ink from the Always Artichoke stamp pad to color in the 'fabulous' part. I cut the piece to the right size, added piercings around the edge then matted it in black, using dimensionals for a little more pop!

This is when I started the layout part of the card... I was planning on a square card so I cut a piece of Basic Black card stock to 11 x 5 1/2" and folded it in half. Next I set out my pieces where I thought they would go and moved them around until I saw what it needed... ribbon! I added a little piece around the bottom of the Bordering Blue panel. Then, I felt it needed a little something along the side... Filigree brads! I haven't used them yet and I love how they look here! I glued down the panels and added the sentiment and flower with dimensionals. And then I was done! I almost added leaves but my husband thought it would be too busy... I do love how it turned out though!

OK.... now that I've written a short novel about how I made the silly card, I better get back to my real job! My babies are pulling at my legs this morning wanting all of my attention! Off to play dress up and doll house!

-tessa

A Happy Little Frog Card

On SCS (Split Coast Stampers) they have all sorts of challenges. They have weekly ones, daily ones, and monthly ones. They challenge you to use certain color combos, sketches, or techniques and so on... The other day, I decided to participate with the WICKED color combo challenge for September. The challenge was to use Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, and Sahara Sand. I was all for making a manly birthday card but ended up with this:



Goodies:
All by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: A Flower for All Seasons set; Sprinkles set; En Francais
Ink: Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Not Quite Navy classic stampin' pads
Paper: Sahara Sand textured card stock; Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, and Kiwi Kiss card stock
Other: Black Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon; Dimensionals

Certainly not very manly, is it! I do like how it turned out though! I stamped my backgrounds onto the colored card stock first, using the same color ink. I also inked around the edges of each block. Next, I stamped the froggie onto Whisper White card stock with Basic Black ink. I watercolored him using the ink pads. After he was dry, I matted him and stuck him to the card front with dimensionals. I added ribbon and the sentiment and I was done!

Hope you have a great day!

-tessa

Crazy for Cupcakes Card

I thought I'd post a card I created last night. I was so excited when I saw this set in the new catalog- who doesn't like cupcakes! I ordered at the beginning of August and finally used it yesterday! I took the colors from the Sweet Always DSP and the design is courtesy of the September WICKED challenge on SCS- here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes set
Inks: Basic Brown, Pumpkin Pie, Pink Pirouette, Apricot Appeal, Regal Rose Classic Stampin' Pad
Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Regal Rose, Apricot Appeal, Whisper White card stock; Sweet DSP
Other: Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds, Scallop Edge Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals

I Paper pieced the cupcake together by stamping it 3 times- once on the patterned paper, once on Apricot Appeal card stock, and once on Whisper White card stock. I cut the candle out of the Whisper White image and watercolored the flame with Apricot Appeal ink. I cut out the frosting from the Apricot Appeal card stock and inked around the edges softly with Pumpkin Pie ink. I colored in the sprinkles with Chocolate Chip ink and Regal Rose ink and then added Dazzling Diamonds over the top. Last, I cut out the cup cake wrapper from the patterned paper and inked the edges with Pink Pirouette ink. Paper piecing is a great way to add dimension to a project!

I wanted to share a picture of my sweet Natalie today, too! She is getting so big! I snapped these as I was taking pictures of my cards today:




Hope you have a great day! Thanks for peeking at my blog!

-tessa