StampTV CSS Challenge Hop

Welcome to our first Center Stage Spotlight Design Team Blog Hop! Jessica Fick, the Design Team Coordinator for GinaK Designs has issued a challenge to all of the past and present team CSS team members to make a Christmas card with one of these sketches:

There is an ADDED BONUS from me: I have an extra copy of Melanie's adorable Hip To Be Square set. I will pick a random commenter from one of the blogs below and I'm not telling you which one :-). So, leave some love to all the participants. If I don't hear from the winner within 24 hours, I will draw another winner. The contest is open until Friday at midnight, CST and I will announce the winner on Saturday morning. Happy Hopping!

Here are my cards:

Tip: Color parts of the patterned papers with markers to match your stamped image, just as I did with the top red panel with the holly leaves and dots.

Stamps: Holiday Cheer from the StampTV kit, Warm Winter Wishes
Paper: Fresh Asparagus, Jolly by Golly by Cosmo Cricket
Ink: Really Red, Memento Tux Black, Copics
Others: button from the Autumn Assortment, ribbon by Wrights, sewing machine, Spellbinders circle dies

Stamps: Vintage Borders, Holiday Cheer from the StampTV kit, Festive Frames (Joy sentiment)
Papers: Soft Sand, Cranberry Tart, All Spruced Up
Ink: Memento Rhubarb inkpad, Cottage Ivy and Rhubarb markers, White pigment ink
Other: button from the Holiday Assortment, pearls, ribbon by Offray, Spellbinders Labels 1 and Labels 4

We know you're going to LOVE what everyone has designed for us tonight! First, here are the links for GinaK's Current CSS Team Members:

Deb Felts
Diana S. Queen
Karen Knegten
Melissa Cash
Sharri Seffens
Sue VanDeVusse

and the links for all of the past CSS Design Team members participating:

Brenda Turner,
Carla Suto,
Carolina Buchting,
Charlene Merrick,
Dawn Lusk,
DeeMarie Kelemen,
Geri Utterback ,
Giovanna Smith,
Janice Melton,
JenMarie Taylor,
Jennie Harper,
Joy Hadden,
Kay Simmons,
Linda Payne,
Lori McAree,
Melisa Waldorf,
Pam Imholz,
Selma Stevenson,
Shannon Bracken,
Shelly Wilson,
Sue Walsh,
Tina Gilliland

Some of GinaK's Senior Design Team Members and Illustrators wanted to get in on the fun tonight too:

Gina Kruspsky
Asela Hopkins
Carolyn King
Cindy Lawrence
Jessica Fick
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
Melanie Muenchinger

along with my Guest Designer: Lisa Hjulberg

All of these gorgeous cards from the entire team will be added to the StampTV gallery throughout the next few days with the tag cssjf1 (which stands for center stage spotlight jessica fick 1). These sketches are also our sketch challenge for this week, so be sure to check out all the information in the discussion in our Challenge group over on StampTV Thursday morning. We'd love to see your cards with the sketch too!

Don't forget to leave comments for a chance to win Hip To Be Square!

Moxie Fab's Tues Trigger

This card is for ABC Challenge to use green, Our Creative Corner to use vintage and for Moxie Fab's Tues Trigger with this inspiration:

I don't have any large pumpkin stamps, so I decided to use ornaments, from the First Christmas set. The papers I used are Jolly by Golly Cosmo Cricket, PTI Aqua Mist and SU Baja Breeze. I love the monochromatic mint green colors. The patterned papers and button give them a real vintage feel.

Come back tonight at 10PM CST for StampTV's first Center Stage Blog Hop to inspire you with holiday cards.

Pumpkins and Plum Crazy Butterfly

My first card uses this week's Card Patterns' sketch:

The pumpkins are from Sherrod Studios, this week's sponsor. They have some really adorable images. I hope you can join us this week. The cardbase is GinaK's Green Apple, the circle is SU's More Mustard, embossed with a Cuttlebug folder. The pumpkins were colored with Copics. I added the faux stitches with a Inkssentials white pen. The buttons are from GKD's Autumn Button Assortment. I scored the bottom for an added effect. The ribbon is something I found here in Croatia.

The second card is both for Our Creative Corner's vintage challenge, Moxie Fab's Plum Crazy challenge and the StampTV Potluck Challenge this week. If you have a moment, please check out the STV link as there is an excellent way to encourage a grieving family with your purple cards.

I admit that purple is not one of my favorite colors. But, a few of my friends have created amazing holiday cards with this color (here and here) and, couple that with Cath's new challenge, I have to at least try. Here is my card...

I colored the butterfly with Sharpies and Copics. I didn't know they could blend together. The music score and peace stamps are from my new set, Vintage Borders. Make sure you check out my preview post for helpful tips for this set.

The card base is GinaK's Vibrant Violet, ribbon is white organdy, button is from GKD's Autumn Button Assortment, the DPs are Guidelines from PTI, lace is from Walmart.

Vintage Borders Tip Sheet and Introducing my Guest DT

I'm so excited to introduce you to my Guest DT for this month, the kind and talented

Lisa Hjulberg.

I'm sure you've seen her name all over blogdom as she designs for Taylored Expressions sketch, Sweet & Sassy Stamps and my new favorite challenge blog, Stampin' Sisters in Christ, among other things. It was through SSIC that I fist came across Lisa's artwork. I immediately became a fan. I was honored to find out that she has some of my previous GinaK stamps. She and I became immediate friends because of our cardmaking hobby and, more importantly our common love for Christ and His Word.

She has blessed me more than she'll ever know through her encouraging words and comments on my blog. I am thankful that God has allowed our paths to cross, even only through cyberspace. It is such a treat for me to have her as my Guest DT this month. Be prepared to be wowed by this incredible card maker. Here's one of her cards using Vintage Borders and Lord of the Season sets.

Here are some questions I asked Lisa, to help you all get to know her better.

1. How long have you been paper crafting and how did you get started? I've been paper crafting for more than 10 years. I actually started with scrapbooking after a friend talked me into hosting a Creative Memories workshop. I was hooked from Hello! Not too long afterwards, I was getting my nails done and my manicurist had a Stampin Up catalog at her station. She was hosting a catalog party. I picked it up and started flipping through the pages, and that was IT. I called the Demonstrator soon after and placed my first order (I was my own show!). The rest, as they say, is history.
2. What are your current favorite:

• Techniques - Sewing on my cards, for sure!
• Tools - My Janome Sew Petite, my Wizard and Spellbinders dies, and my Scor Pal
• embellishments - Ribbon, buttons and rhinestones... a card just doesn't seem finished to me without one or all!
• coloring mediums - Copics, mainly because they are so quick and easy to use. I also enjoy watercoloring when time permits, which doesn't seem very often anymore.
  

3. What inspires you to create? Quite simply, the beauty and joy of art. I'm predominately left-brained, but I've always had a true and abiding appreciation for all forms of art. I love to immerse myself in them and savor every moment. In paper crafting, the amazing array of designer papers, color, embellishments and stamp designs sing to my soul and make me long to sit down and create.

4. Tell us something about your family. I'm the mother of four boys (ages 24, 21, 16 and 13), who are the lights of my life. My husband and I have been married for more than 25 years (I was a child bride, of course *wink*). Golf is huge in my family. My husband was a Club Golf Professional for 20 years, and has been a University Golf Coach for nearly 10 years. My boys all play golf, but they love all sports. Me, I'm the odd duck because I'm very sedentary, prefering to craft or read or take a nap! I work full time outside the home in University administration. I grew up as an Air Force brat, so had the privilege of living in lots of different places in the US and abroad before settling down for what is now most of my life in Southern California. We are members of the Lutheran church, Missouri Synod.

5. Do you have a favorite quote that you live by? Because I am a Christian, there are many scriptures that are favorite quotes. But one in particular stands out: Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." There is such peace in knowing that! I also recently ran across this variation on the Serenity prayer, which I've printed out and pinned up on my board as a constant reminder: "Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know that person is me." Amen!

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I have a few tips to share with you using my new set, Vintage Borders. You can download the PDF file with all this info on the StampTV Idea Center Vintage Borders page >> HERE <<. Approximate Stamp Sizes:

1. 4” x 3/8”
2. 4” x 1-1/2”
3. 3-1-2” x 5/8”
4. 4-7/8” x 1-1/2”
5. 4-7/8” x 1/2”
6. 1-7/8” x 1-7/8”
7. 2-3/4” x 1-1/4”
8. 2-1/2” x 1/2”
9. 3-1/2” x 3/4”
10. 1-1/2” 1/2”

Helpful Tips:

• Stamps 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 can be used for any occasion, not just for holiday projects.
• Stamps 1 and 5 can create an illusion of a scalloped border layer when stamped with a contrasting color to the cardstock.
  
• Stamps 1, 3 and 5 can be stamped and trimmed for a cute little embellishment, even in lieu of ribbon.
  
• Stamp 2 has “Merry Christmas” in different languages. A specific greeting can be highlighted by using a marker to color it and used by itself.
  
• These stamps, especially #’s 2 and 4, can also be used to create a beautiful, quick background.
• Stamp 3 can be stamped with white ink and embossed for a realistic looking lace.
  
• All of these stamps, especially #’s 3. 4, 8 and 9 will look good embossed because of their delicate details.
  
• Stamp 4 makes a great border or background paired with other images, such as birthday-themed, birds, and of course, holiday-themed stamps. It’s always perfect when the recipient of the card is a music lover, no matter the occasion.
• Glue pearls, rhinestones or brads to the center of the lace flowers (#3), scallops (#’s 1 and 5), snowflake (#9) for an added beautiful effect.
  
• Punch the little holes in stamp 5 for added effect. · Highlight a ribbon on a card by stamping scallops on both sides of it.
  
• The scallops and lace stamps are great to pair with other images for baby, wedding, anniversary, and feminine cards.
  
• These stamps are not limited to vintage, shabby style projects. The detailed images can make clean and simple cards stunning and easily mass produced.
  
• These images are perfect for distressing techniques, such as tearing paper edges, sponging, wrinkling the paper, using distressed inks, etc. to give projects the aged, vintage look..
  
• Stamps 1-6 can be stamped side by side to create longer borders. To ensure the images line up when you do this, you can use a stamp positioner (like Stampamajig or Apple Pie makes an acrylic one) or do the following.

1. By using a ruler as a guide, find a straight line on the image and mark the sides of the stamp with a pen as shown in circles below.

2. Extend the mark onto the sides and on the back of the stamp as shown.




3. Lay the stamp flat on the table and by using an acrylic block with gridlines, line up the marks on the stamp to the gridlines. When you stamp, make sure you line up the gridlines to the edges of the paper and you’ll have a straight image without added gadgets.

Leather, Lace and Lots of owls

I have a few cards to show you today. Scroll down for the Tuesday Trigger and Embellish Magazine's Owl Challenge cards.

First is a card I made for the GinaK Designs Release party. I call it my Leather & Lace Christmas. The new tan leather cardstock is just so yummy. I love it. It has this unique texture that makes vintage backgrounds easy to accomplish. For my card, I just smeared my Creamy Caramel ink on the paper. It was fun to be messy :-). I then stamped the music score from my new Vintage Borders set with black ink. The flower and leaf are from A Year of Flowers.

Here is a close up of the leather cardstock. The left side is the paper left untreated. Look how dramatic the change is just by smearing ink on it.
This second card is for Embellish Magazines Owl Color Challenge. I am also entering this to Hero Arts' Simply Holiday Challenge. I used Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery and Memento Rich Cocoa inks. The stamps are from Hero Arts' Jolly Christmas set.

Finally, a card for Moxie Fab's Tuesday Trigger Challenge. Here is the trigger:

And my card:

The papers are by K&Co and the colors are perfect for this challenge. The owl is by Unity's June KOTM. I stamped it and added the color with Copic markers. The scallop border is from my Vintage Borders set. The card base is also a new GinaK offering, Smoky Slate, which is a perfect match to the patterned papers.