SSINKspiration Mystery Challenge #SSINKMC33: The Open Sea

Good morning!  It was another cold, rainy weekend here (this really is getting old) but at least this was the perfect opportunity to relax at home and spend some time in the studio (time spent creating always makes me happy, and relaxed) and I'm excited to share some of what I came up with.  Today over on the SSINKspiration blog it's time for this month's Mystery Challenge (I always have fun with these) and was able to incorporate 5 of the 6 listed items for this fun, masculine card that is packed full of retiring items getting some last love before we say goodbye at the end of the month.

I started with Lost Lagoon cardstock for the cardbase (this is one of my favorite of the retiring In Colors) and then added a piece of Basic Black cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Elegant Stripes Embossing Folder (retiring).  Next I added a piece of designer series paper from the Going Places Designer Series Paper Stack (retiring) and matted it with Hello Honey cardstock.  I took a piece of Gold Foil Paper and cut it out with the Big Shot and Circles Collection Framelits (retiring) and then embossed it with the Decorative Dots Embossing Folder (retiring).

For the stamped image I used The Open Sea (retiring) stamp set and stamped the ship image on Very Vanilla cardstock using Basic Black ink.  Then I took the log image from the same stamp set over the ship using Crumb Cake ink (I stamped off twice to get a nice light effect) and then cut it out with the Circles Collection Framelits (retiring) and sponged around the edges with Basic Black ink.  For some decorative touches I took a piece of 1 3/8" Burlap Ribbon (retiring) and cut it in half (I actually decided to make two of these cards at the same time so I didn't have any waist left.  Next I took a piece of Hello Honey 5/8" Stitched Cotton Ribbon (retiring) and attached it to the cardfront with Fast Fuse adhesive and then added a couple staples with the Mini Stapler.

The final touch was to add the greeting which is from the And Many More stamp set and after stamping it was punched out with the Word Window Punch (retiring).  I punched a second layer out of Basic Black cardstock to offset behind the greeting.  Dimensionals were used to attached the ship circle and the greeting to the cardfront to finish off the card.

I really love these stamp sets and DSP, they really do make it easy to make masculine cards, which can always be a struggle.  The other design team members are sharing some great cards using the same mystery challenge so go check them out and then come play along and share what you created, can't wait to see it!!

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Enjoy,

Diana

SSINKspiration May Blog Hop: Flowers, Flowers Everywhere!

Good morning!  Blog hops are one of my favorite times of the month since we designers get together to share a whole bunch of great projects using a fun theme.  This months theme is all about flowers and given the cold, rainy weather we've been having the past few weeks (and we're not in the pacific northwest) I'm looking forward to this bit of spring.

 

As you hop along, please be sure to comment and show some love on every blog! We are always excited to hear from our followers! You should have just left stop number #5 on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration Blog Hop - Heidi at Stuck on Stampin'. If so, you are in the right spot. If a link doesn't work or you get off track, you will find the full blog hop lineup below. 

 

 

 For my project I decided to use a mixture of retiring products along with some items carrying over.  I started with Mint Macaron cardstock for the cardbase and then took a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock and stamped it using the Hardwood stamp set and Crumb Cake ink, before cutting it out with the Big Shot and the Hexagon Hive Thinlit die (retiring).  For a fun effect I added a piece of Typeset Speciality Designer Series Paper (retiring), it gives a fun antique look.  Next I used the Big Shot and Botanical Builder Framelits (so happy these are carrying over) to create  several different coordinating flowers, sponged them and even used the Woodgrain Embossing folder to add texture to one of the leaves.  In the center of the flowers I used pearls, Metal Rimmed Pearls, and It's My Party Enamel Dots (retiring) for fun accents.

 

The greeting uses the And Many More stamp set (retiring) and was stamped on Very Vanilla cardstock using Mossy Meadow ink and punched it out with the Word Window Punch (retiring).  Of course I add to add some more texture so I added a strip of Blackberry Bliss 5/8" Stitched Cotton Ribbon (retiring) and a bow out of Basic Black 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon (retiring).

 

Sometimes there are cards you make and you want them nice and easy, other's you like to fuss and play with and just make it over the top and this card definitely fits the second type and I love it.  Someone very special will be getting this card and hope they appreciate it half as much as I enjoyed making it.

 



 

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card: 

Make sure to check out the rest of the blog hop for lots of other great ideas.  If you click the “Next” button, you’ll go to Darcy’s site but you can also access any of the hopper’s site from the full blog list below. 

 

Blog Hop Participant List:

1. Diana at Stampin Fun with Diana
2. Darcy at Dj's Stampin Place
3. Kim at Stamping with Kim
4. Darla at Stampin with Darla
5. Heidi at Stuck on Stampin'

Enjoy!

Diana

Fab Friday Sketch Challenge: Sheltering Tree

Good morning!  My Grandma had surgery last week and thankful she’s doing great but we wanted to send here a Get Well card to let her know we were thinking of her.  I was a little stumped for ideas so I decided to use this weeks Fab Friday Sketch challenge as the inspiration of this card (love when things work out like that!!)

I started with Mint Macaron cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Pretty Petals Designer Series Paper (retiring).  For the main stamped image I used a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped the tree using the Sheltering Tree stamp set (love how you can build scenes with this set).  The greeting is from the And Many More Stamp set (retiring and on sale right now, whoo hoo!)  This piece was matted with Basic Black cardstock before adding a Paper Doily (also retiring) along the bottom.  Before attaching the stamped layer to the cardfront I added a strip of coordinating DSP (it’s actually the reverse side pattern from the cardfront) along with a piece of Early Espresso ¼” Cotton Ribbon.  I thought the card needed a little something more for dimension so I tied a bow using Pacific Point 3/8” Stitched Satin Ribbon and attached it to the cardfront with a glue dot.

Really hoping my grandma likes this card, but knowing her I think it’ll be a hit and help her to a quickly recovery.  Once again there are lots of retiring products used on this card so make sure to stock up if any of these items are on your wish list.

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Enjoy and have a great day!

Diana

SSINKspiration Mystery Challenge #SSINKMC27: And Many More

Good morning!  What a hectic and fun filled weekend, I need go back to work to get a little rest (thankfully it's a short week with the holiday!)  It's time to continue the gratitude challenge (one week to go) and I decided to combine today's card with the Mystery Challenge over on the Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration blog.  This was a lot of fun, we were given a list of items and had to incorporate as many things as we could into our card.

I started with Pool Party cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Whisper White cardstock that I stamped different splatter images from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set using Real Red, Pool Party, and Pear Pizzaz ink.  I layered a piece of Winter Wonderland Designer Vellum on top of the splatter to add some gold splatter to the mix and on the bottom I added a piece of retired designer series paper (I was working on another project in the studio and this was the perfect color).  I wrapped a piece of Gold 5/8" Satin Ribbon in the center and then tied a nice pretty knot.

To make this "Christmasy" I stamped the tree from the Lots of Joy stamp set in Pool Party ink on Whisper White cardstock and then cut it out and attached it to the cardfront with dimensionals.  The greeting is from the And Many More stamp set and was stamped in Real Red ink and then punched out with the Washi Label Punch.  I decided I needed a little more bling so I added a couple rhinestones to the greeting piece for the final touch.

There's a lot going on with this card but I had fun trying to add all the mystery items into the card so it's all good.  We would love for you to come check out the mystery challenge and play along with us!

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy,

Diana

Fab Friday Sketch Challenge Meets 30 Day Gratitude Challenge: Day 4

 Good morning!  It’s the mid point of the week, and finally after having a 4-day weekend Aidan returns to school (must be nice) so we’re back to our regular routine, I’m such a creature of habit I don’t do well without the routine.  Of course I’m back with today’s 30-Day Gratitude card challenge card and I decided to combine it with the Fab Friday sketch challenge (when I’m making this many cards having a little starting inspiration really helps).  I decided to go with another fall themed card and showcase some of the beautiful items from the Into the Woods product suite.

I started with Soft Sued cardstock for the cardbase and then used a piece of Tangelo Twist as a mat for my Crumb Cake cardfront.  For the main floral image I just took my 2 ½” Circle Punch and punched out a piece of the Into the Woods Designer Series Paper (can’t beat the easy of that!)  The greeting is from the And Many More stamp set and was stamped in Soft Suede ink on Daffodil Delight cardstock before being cut out with the Big Shot and the Itty Bitty Banner Framelits (then I sponged lightly around the edges with Soft Suede ink) before attaching the greeting with dimensionals.

For the fun circle element around my punched piece I took one of my Circle Collection Framelits and used it as a stencil to hand draw dashed lines (used Mossy Meadow and Soft Suede for the inner and outer rings and then used the White Gel Pen and filled I the middle.  Before attaching my circle to the cardfront with dimensionals I added a piece of Natural 5/8” Chevron Ribbon behind it (showing the non-patterned side).  For some fun embellishments I added a few gold sequins from the Gold Sequin Trim (the Fine Tip Glue Pen works great for attaching these little elements).  The final touch was to add a little wooden element from the Into the Woods Embellishment set and I sponged it first with Rich Razzleberry Ink to color the wood before attaching it to the cardfront with a dimensional.

I love how I only stamped the greeting and was able to add lots of different embellishments to really help dress the card up and keep it’s simple nature at the same time.  If you’re enjoying this challenge I would love for you to join me and see what you can create this month by focusing on gratitude and sharing your thoughtful feelings.

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

                                                          

Enjoy!

Diana

Can You Case it? Design Team - Sketch Challenge CYCI #82

Happy Sunday!  What a nice and relaxing weekend (and a little break in humidity isn’t the worst thing in the world).  Today after my run and Chris’ softball games it’s time for some relaxing at the pool and crafting (is there anything better???)  To get things started it’s time for another edition of the Can You Case It? weekly challenge and I decided to give you sneak peek at some fun new items from the Holiday Catalog to wet your appetite (you’re going to love it!!!)

I started with Tangelo Twist cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Basic Gray cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Decorative Dots Embossing Folder.  Next I added a piece of Happy Haunting Designer Series Paper and matted it with Rich Razzleberry cardstock.  I took another piece of the DSP, matted it with Basic Black cardstock and stamped the greeting from the And Many More stamp set using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.

I used the new Sweet Hauntings stamp set to stamp the cute little bottle using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Rich Razzleberry cardstock and then cut it out with Paper Snips before attaching it with dimensionals.  For a fun little accent I added a little piece of Silver Sequin Trim peeking out from behind the bottle.

This was my first Halloween card for the season and by only using a few of the great new products that are coming up I know there are lots of fun cards and crafts in my future (can we say Black Glimmer Paper???)

 

 

 

 

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Have an enjoyable Sunday!

Diana

Sketch Frenzy Friday Sketch Challenge: Traveler

Good morning!  It’s Friday and this weekend is Chris’ birthday so we’re planning on a weekend full of activities for the birthday guy!  I firmly believe in celebrating birthdays, no matter if it is mine or others, all must be enjoyed.  Before the birthday fun starts, I’m sharing my card for this weeks Sketch Frenzy Friday sketch challenge.  Carol gave us a classic layout what is perfect for the stamped image of the train from the Traveler stamp set.  I had this piece of paper already stamped on my desk and decided to build my card around this piece (you know it’s almost impossible for a crafter to throw away something that you can use on another project).

I started with Lost Lagoon cardstock  for the cardbase and then added a piece of Soft Suede cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder.  I also added a piece of designer series paper from the Typeset Speciality Designer Series Paper that was sponged with Soft Suede Ink.  I also used a piece of Lost Lagoon 3/8” Stitched Cotton Ribbon around the middle of the card.

The main stamped image is from the Traveler stamp set using Soft Suede ink on Very Vanilla cardstock and then matted with Blackberry Bliss cardstock (I used dimensionals to attach it to the cardfront).  The greeting from the And Many More stamp set and was punched out with the Washi Label Punch.  For a little fun I added a couple looks of Early Espresso Baker’s Twine before attaching the greeting to the card with dimensionals.

This card has several of my favorite items and I love that cards like this can be used equally well for guys or gals and didn’t take lots of time to create!

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

 

Have an enjoyable weekend!

Diana

Sketch Frenzy Friday: Flowery Birthday Wishes

Good morning and Happy Friday!  It's also a holiday Friday for some of us so I'm so excited for the 4th of July holiday and long holiday weekend.  For this weeks Sketch Frenzy Friday sketch challenge we were given a fun challenge with lots of potential.  I have a dear friend who's birthday was this week so I decided to us this weeks sketch as the inspiration for a fun card.

I started with Crumb Cake cardstock for the cardbase and then added a piece of Pretty Petals Designer Series Paper.  In the top right corner I added a butterfly that I stamped from the Kinda Eclectic stamp set in Calypso Coral ink and punched it out with the Elegant Butterfly Punch then added some pearls along the center for the body of the butterfly.  I used adhesive only in the center and bent the wings up so the butterfly looks like it's flying.  I also added a couple flowers that I punched out of Old Olive cardstock with the flower from the Itty Bitty Accent Punch Pack, embossed it with the Lovely Lace Embossing Folder and I curled up the petals added a Calypso Coral candy dot from the Subtles Candy Dots for the center of each flower.

Along the bottom of the card I added a piece of Old Olive cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Modern Mosaic Embossing Folder.  To the back of the cardstock I added some Fast Fuse and used some Watermelon Wonder 1" Dotted Lace Trim and ruffled it up for a fun trim.  I also added a  piece of Gold Sequin Trim for just a little more bling.  The greeting is from the And Many More and it was punched out with the Word Window Punch and then matted with a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock that was punched out with the Large Oval Punch.

I must admit, I just kept adding little embellishments to this card which may have been a little over the top but my friend loved it, so that's all that matters.  And I love how the colors pop against the black.




Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Diana

Sketch Frenzy Friday Card Sketch: Any Many More

Good morning!  What a crazy week, I’m really looking forward to the weekend.  Between not feeling well, the hubby traveling, and Aidan busy with school testing it’s been a long week and I need to relax (and let’s be honest get some quality time in the stamp studio!!) 

It’s an exciting week with the release of the new Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalog and anytime we can play with new products is always fun and exciting.  Today I’m sharing a card for this weeks Sketch Frenzy Friday Sketch challenge and this card is a combo of old and new products.  I started with Basic Black for the cardbase and then added a piece of Whisper White cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and the new Boho Chic Embossing Folder.  Next I added a piece of Basic Black Baker’s Twine across the bottom of the card for my banner as well as a couple of piece of Cherry on Top Washi Tape.  I used the Star Framelits and the star punch from the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack to cut out the stars using Gold Glimmer Paper, Cherry on Top DSP, and Neutrals DSP.

The greeting is from the And Many More stamp set and I stamped it using Versamark ink on Basic Black cardstock and heat embossed it using the Heat Tool and Gold Embossing Powder.  To cut out the greeting I used the Big Shot and Itty Bitty Framelits and then attached it to the card with dimensionals.  I had an extra gold star I punched out so I added it to the top of the greeting for a little more bling.

The little time that I’ve had to use the new In Colors I have to admit, they a gorgeous and really complement each other and our other colors, it will be fun to see what we come up with!  The design team is sharing some fun cards so make sure to check them out and then come play along with the Sketch Frenzy Friday ladies, we’d love to have you!

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

 

Have a wonderful weekend and happy crafting!

Diana

Sketch Frenzy Friday Sketch Challenge: Hello Life Tidbits

Good morning!  We made it through another week and looking forward to the weekend.  Aidan has a birthday sleepover so we have almost 24 hours of kid free time, what are we to do????  Haha!  I was a little behind this week and forgot about my card for this weeks Sketch Frenzy Friday sketch challenge that Patrice designed for us (I know you’re shocked!) So I had to come up with something quick that you would still enjoy, enter the Hello Life Simply Created kit.  I had a pile of miscellaneous pieces left over from the project kit (you get lots of extra pieces which is fabulous) so I pulled out the four punched out hearts and started with that as the inspiration for this card.   

I started with Smoky Slate cardstock for the base and then added a piece of Marina Mist cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Tiny Triangles Embossing Folder before matting with Basic Black.

I attached the four hearts and used the heart stamp from the Hello Life stamp set to stamp the white heart on the Black Chalkboard heart.  I also added a Vintage Faceted Button tied with some Basic Black Baker’s Twine for some added bling.  The greeting is from the And Many More stamp set and was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink on Smoky Slate cardstock and punched out with the Word Window Punch and attached with dimensionals.

I love how we can make a really pretty card in no time and not using a ton of products and still come up with something that will impress!  Also took some liberties with this layout and flipped and turned it to suit what I needed, but it all works in the end.  Make sure to check out the other design team creations for further inspiration and then play along.

Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today’s card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

 

Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend!

Diana

Can You Case it? Design Team - Sketch Challenge CYCI #59

Good morning! It's going to be another great Sunday and we're supposed to get another set of winter weather, really I think we've had enough. I decided to use this weeks Can You Case It? sketch challenge to help me get in the spring time mood.  The A Happy Thing stamp set has this cut little bird and is perfect for coloring using the Blendabilities markers.  I started with Bermuda Bay cardstock for the cardbase and then added a layer of Old Olive cardstock that was embossed with the Big Shot and Fancy Frames Embossing Folder (I decided to change things up and leave the bottom of the cardstock unembossed so I could add the greeting).  The greeting is from the And Many More stamp set and was stamped in Night of Navy ink.






For the main stamped image I stamped the bird from the A Happy Thing stamp set in Black Memento Ink and then colored it in with Bermuda Bay, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight,and Old Olive Blendabilities Markers.  I used Night of Navy for the mat behind the stamped image.  I used some Sticky Strip to attach a piece of Hello Honey Stitched Satin Ribbon along the bottom of the stamped image and then added a couple of staples using the Handheld Stapler.

Isn't this bird cute?  I can't wait to start seeing the birds heading back as spring comes around so we can say goodbye to snow and cold for this season.  I also have lots of friends with upcoming birthdays so it's always good to stock up my card stash so I'm ready when  we need it.





Below are easy ordering links for the products used on today's card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Enjoy!

Diana