Saturday Sketch Challenge 140

Welcome to another Saturday Sketch challenge from your 411 Operators! This week we're bringing you a fantastic clean and simple sketch. I'm so in love with this sketch because it's so darn simple!

One potential set of measurements could be:

Base: 11 x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"
Second layer: 4 1/4" x 3 1/4"
Third (optional) Layer: 4x3"

How about a quick reminder on getting the most from your paper. Starting with the 3rd layer, you'll get the most out of your paper (with no waste, if you cut your 3x4" piece from a piece of 12 x 12. You can get 12 pieces from one 12 x 12.
For the second layer if you take an 8 1/2" x 11 inch piece and cut it at 4 1/2" (down the middle on the short 8 1/2" side). then cut these pieces at 3 1/4", you'll get 6 pieces from one piece of paper. This will certainly go a long way and help you get the most from your paper.

Moving right along...

Now it's your turn. Never played along with us before? Well, it's easy!

1. Make a card


2. Post it online somewhere to your blog or other online forum


3. Post a link to Mr. Linky (Please be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog so we can find your post a few days later). need directions on that? Check out our posts on "how to use mr linky"


4. Have some fun and leave comments for each other (and for the operators if you like their work). ~ Everyone loves comments!

As a side note:

We've been getting questions (and complaints) about our "marketing free" zone. I've been thinking about this all week and feeling like more explanation might help our readers understand the need for this one policy. There are two reasons that we do not have marketing or "buy from me/sign up with me now" on our blog posts for this blog.

First ~ this blog is visited by many customers of different stamp companies. Several months ago, all the operators signed an agreement, that we wont link to sites that sell a competitor product. Keeping with that agreement, if this is a marketing free zone, it helps us stay true to the contract we signed AND allows people who play with all things creative to post back and share what they love with us and you. If we did allow product competition, we would be out of SU compliance and would need to shut this blog down.

Secondly, and more important, in a world where we all feel like we are being "sold" on a product... It's just nice to feel like we can openly share information and training without all that. It's like we're a bunch of girlfriends sitting around a table. No pressure, we're just friends.

Folks who are interested in purchasing products, will seek out their demonstrator, and that's what we want. If you are inspired by something here, you should call your demonstrator and tell her you want to place an order!

Some have also made assumptions that because the operators have chosen to be 100% SU, that in order to play and be chosen for the showcase you need to use SU products. This is not true.

We encourage you to play with the supplies that inspire you and create something beautiful! If that means it's SU, Great! If not, Great! We love to see everyone's creations every week. We have such a hard time voting on just 5. In fact, most of the operators cant narrow it down to less than 8 or 9 and we just do the math for the showcase.

If you have a topic you would like to see covered here, please let us know! We'd like to share all we know.

Thanks so much for helping us to keep this going.

If you have chosen not to play along because of our non competition policy, I totally understand and respect that. I did want to explain a bit why we have any restrictions at all.
Now, let's see what the operators came up with for this week. :)

With kindness and respect,
Selene

Connie Babbert




Lee Conrey




Patti Chesky






Robin Merriman




Gretchen Barron




Tiffany Bauer






Selene Kempton

Stampers Showcase 139

Thank you so much to all those who play along with us, and for your wonderful comments week after week. It really keeps us going to hear your feedback.

Here are your operator picks of the week.

Color Inspiration #112

Warning: You may experience extreme eye fatigue if you choose to try this color challenge without wearing sunglasses!!!

Only kidding!!!

It's a bright one this week.

I was inspired by a card that I made for my niece. She wants to be an astronaut (in addition to a Kaman Rider, a superhero, a karate instructor and a firefighter).

The follows fit her vibrant personality perfectly. Love you Alex!!!! I hope you liked your card!!

What kind of project would you make with this color combination?

If you choose to take this color challenge, please leave a comment on this post with a link to your project. We'd love to take a peek!!!








Card Recipe

stamps: Pun Fun, Wonderful Favorites, Polka Dot (retired)

paper: Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink, Green Galore, Whisper White, watercolor paper

ink: Black StazOn, Pixie Pink

accessories: Tempting Turquoise marker, reinkers, aquapainter, Word Window Punch, 1/2" circle punch, Bold Brights brads, Whisper White 1/4" grosgrain

Saturday Sketch Challenge 139

Hello everyone and welcome to Stamping 411 and a new Saturday Sketch Challenge. Our Stamping 411 Operators have been busy this week designing inspiration cards for you so let's get going!

Here is this week's sketch ...

As you can see, the possibilities with this week's sketch are wide-open. You are limited only by your imagination (and your stamp sets, of course ... but for most of us, that's not a problem). There really aren't any measurements to share on this one so get out your stamps, ink pads, cardstock and embellishments, and go-t0-town!

One potential set of measurements is:

Base: 11 x 4 1/4" scored in half at 5.5 inches
Layer 2: 5 x 3 3/4
Layer 3: 4 7/8" x 3 5/8" Note: this is just 1/8" smaller on two sides than layer 2 (still simple)

Now it's your turn. Never played along with us before? Well, it's easy!

1. Make a card


2. Post it online somewhere to your blog or other online forum


3. Post a link to Mr. Linky (Please be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog so we can find your post a few days later). need directions on that? Check out our posts on "how to use mr linky"


4. Have some fun and leave comments for each other (and for the operators if you like their work). ~ Everyone loves comments!
   

Okay, here's some inspiration from the Stamping 411 Operators to get you started. Click on each photo to go directly to their blog post.

Selene Kempton

Connie Babbert

Lee Conrey

Patti Chesky

Robin Merriman

Gretchen Barron

Tiffany Bauer


Okay -- have we inspired you? We hope so. Now it's your turn. Create your card and come back here to leave your name and the URL location of your project with the Mister Linky widget below. We're excited to see what you create this week.

Stampers Showcase 138

Another fun sketch, more amazing creations! It is so hard to pick just 5 entries. Thanks so much for playing along! Here are your operator picks for SSC138. See you late tonight for another sketch!

Color Inspiration #111

It's Thursday......which means one more day until the weekend....and also the unveiling of a new Stamping 411 Color Inspiration challenge.

This week, I decided to start with a color I rarely use.....Handsome Hunter.

It's not that I don't like this color....it's just one that my eye doesn't necessarily gravitates to.

Handsome Hunter is perfect for "guy" cards. No groaning when I mention "guy" cards. I know they can be challenging.....but a little creative push is good every once in a while, right?

I threw in some of my favorite colors: More Mustard and Ruby Red.

My project is one of the cards my Stamp Club members will be making tonight. It combines the gorgeous Medallion background stamp with Vintage Labels (one of the Sale-a-bration stamp sets this year).

This card combines heat embossing, sponging, spritzing and paper piercing.

What techniques will you use on your Color Inspiration project?

If you choose to take the challenge, please leave a comment on this post with a link to your project. I would love to take a peek!!!!

Until next time......Happy Stamping everyone!!!

Card Recipe
stamps: Medallion, Vintage Labels (SAB)
paper: Handsome Hunter, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Basic Black
ink: More Mustard, Basic Black Craft
accessories: Black embossing powder, piercing tool, mat pack, Scallop Circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, Color Spritzer tool, Basic Black marker, Basic Black 5/8" grosgrain ribbon

Saturday Sketch Challenge SSC138

Hello Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful week and will get a little R&R over the weekend. This is a really simple and fun sketch to work with.

Looking at the sketch, I'm going to give you some generic measurements.

Base: 8 1/2" x 4 1/4", scored and folded in half at 5 1/2"

Layer 2: 5 1/4" x 1 1/2"
Layer 3: (white) maybe a piece of ribbon or cardstock measuring 5 1/2" x 1/2"
Layer 5: (try measuring the block you are stamping with).
Layer 4: 1/4" larger than layer 5 on 2 sides.

And that's all she wrote!

To see the operator's personal blogs for more information, just click on the photos below.

Now it's your turn. Never played along with us before? Well, it's easy!

1. Make a card



2. Post it online somewhere to your blog or other online forum



3. Post a link to Mr. Linky (Please be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog so we can find your post a few days later). need directions on that? Check out our posts on "how to use mr linky"



4. Have some fun and leave comments for each other (and for the operators if you like their work). ~ Everyone loves comments!

Gretchen Barron

Connie Babbert






Tiffany Bauer







Selene Kempton







Lee Conrey






Patti Chesky





Robin Merriman

Stampers Showcase

Well it has been another amazing week of artwork. Thanks to all those who share their talents with us! Here's your stampers showcase for sketch 137.

Color Inspiration #110

I wonder how much of North America is covered in snow right now!!

My friends along the east coast are getting slammed once more, and we just finished a three day storm where we received another 10 inches of snow.

A nice Spring color combination is definitely in order!!!!

This week's color inspiration was inspired by this comforter set from Pottery Barn.

The colors are So Saffron, Brocade Blue and Certainly Celery.

This color combination will work for so many projects.....baby, Easter, birthday, etc.....

I can't wait to see what you come up with.

Make sure to leave a comment on this post with a link to your project so we can all "ooohhh" and "aaaahhh" over it, okay?

Until next time.....Happy Stamping everyone!!!

Saturday Sketch Challenge 137

Welcome to another sketch challenge from your operators at stamping 411! Thanks for visiting! I've heard stories from folks this week who play along but have never uploaded a card!

To all that play along ~ thanks for keeping it fun for us!

It's another fairly simple sketch this week. I hope you have some time to play along! Here's one set of potential measurements.. Oh yea for me ~I'm going to cheat a little here! Robin already did the measurements on her card. Since she's on top this week I'm going to give you her measurements. Please keep in mind you can do what works for you. A very embellished card that has lots of layers or cut back on the layers and try to go clean and simple?? That's up to you!

So Saffron card base: 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" folded in half to make an A2 card (4 1/4" x 5 1/2")
Certainly Celery layer 2: 4" x 5 1/4"
Very Vanilla layer: 3 3/4" x 5" (dry embossed with the Big Shot and the Perfect Details Texturz Plate, then sponged with So Saffron ink)
Certainly Celery layer: 2 1/4" x 4 1/2"
DSP layer: 2 1/8" x 4 3/8" (sponged with So Saffron ink)

Each operator gives more detail about her card on her blog (links from the names below).

Now it's your turn. Never played along with us before? Well, it's easy!

1. Make a card
2. Post it online somewhere to your blog or other online forum
3. Post a link to Mr. Linky (Please be sure to link to your post and not just to your blog so we can find your post a few days later). need directions on that? Check out our posts on "how to use mr linky"
4. Have some fun and leave comments for each other (and for the operators if you like their work). ~ Everyone loves comments!

Robin Merriman




Gretchen Barron





Connie Babbert





Tiffany Bauer





Selene Kempton






Lee Conrey




Patti Chesky