Another Diva Day!

 Happy Wednesday to you my surfing friends!  Today is a Diva Wednesday and we are bringing you a sketch challenge.  Since we celebrated my son's birthday recently I decided to make mine a birthday card for him.  The colors are from last week's color challenge on SCS to use Old Olive, Daffodil Delight and Night of Navy.  I also added in some Crumb Cake for my neutral. 

Here's a quick shot of the inside.  Had to get some stars in there to coordinate with the front.  They are from Extreme Elements stamp set. 

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you'll check out the Diva Blog and consider playing along! 

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: On Your Birthday, Extreme Elements

Colors: Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Big Shot, Lattice Textured Impressions folder, large & small star punch, wide Old Olive grosgrain ribbon, Decorative Label punch (inside)

With All Your Heart!

For today's Diva's Coffee Break Designs challenge and the Color Challenge on SCS yesterday. to use Chocolate Chip, Bermuda Bay and Apricot Appeal. My first thought when I saw the long narrow panel on the left was this bird on teh branch from Asian Artistry (a level 2 hostess set).
The bird is was stamped a second time on some textured Apricot Appeal and cut out then watercolored slightly with some Pumpkin Pie.

I've been seeing the trend of using a larger scallop for a scallop border so I glued several 1" circles on in a row at the bottom then covered the seam with the Bermuda Bay ribbon.

Added details include the Lattice Die, Modern Label punch, and a Latte Button.

Thanks for visiting!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Asian Artistry

Colors: Bermuda Bay, Chocolate Chip, Apricot Appeal, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Lattice Die, Big Shot, Latte Button, 1" circle punch, Modern Label punch, Aqua painter, Pumpkin Pie ink, Bermuda bay dotted grosgrain

New Challenge!

I should really be doing something, anything other than sitting here at my desk on the computer... but in order to avoid the inevitable I went in search of a challenge to try to complete quickly so I'd have SOMETHING to post here today!

I've joined a new stamping community website called Stampin' Addicts and there are lots of fun new challenges over there. This card I did quickly in less than 10 minutes and it is my very first gallery upload over at SA. The color challenge was to use Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun and Tango Tangerine.

OK, gotta run. Have a great weekend everyone and I hope you are getting some beautiful weather like we are expecting!

~Kristin

Back in Blogland!

Yes, I'm finally back! I just got my taxes submitted today so I was able to stamp for a bit. I still have a BIG weekend ahead with my kids' First Communion and a house full of guests, but I had to get some stampin' in! This is for today's color challenge on SCS as well as this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

The color challenge was to use Pink Pirouette, Bording Blue and So Saffron. I really struggled with the Saffron- I just don't like that shade with the pink so I snuck it in with a tiny brad! The sketch was fun and makes a pretty clean & simple card if you want. I used vellum for my top layer as well as the bottom layer of scallops. Embossed the "LOVE" image with Bordering Blue craft ink and clear EP, then colored in with Watercolor Wonder Crayons and a blender pen. The background is stamped with white ink and the trio of hearts from this stamp set.

Thanks for hanging with me after such a long delay! I do like to post everyday but just couldn't get to it over the holiday weekend. Tomorrow I will have a new Diva challenge for you as well as this week's Clean & Simple challenge on SCS.

~Kristin

A Diva Wednesday!

For today's Diva sketch challenge I completed two projects so keep scrolling down- don't miss the second one. The first one much more closely follows the given sketch, but uses some retired and non-SU products (for Diva challenges we're asked to use all SU current product). Specifically, the strips of burgundy paper are the very old retired Baroque Burgundy (some of you may have never heard of it!). It fell out of my scrap bag and I just liked it. The DSP is also retired- a hostess pack of prints patterns. I also combined Sahara Sand and Basic Black for this color combo.

I enjoyed using the Big Shot for this one also! The Beautiful Butterflies die as well as the diamond patterned Texturz Plates. The two large brads are Build-a-Brads which I made by stamping the small flower from Flight of the Butterfly on the DSP and punching out with the 1/2" circle punch. These have a touch of Diamond Stickles in the center, which is also the trail for the butterfly. The sentiment is from Flight of the Butterfly as well. The second card I did strays from the sketch a bit, but I am SO happy with it. It also uses all current SU stuff (OK, except the canvas background stamp which I snuck in there). I saw a card just yesterday that proved that I can like this set -Eastern Blooms-so I was inspired to use it. I'll post a link to that card when I remember where I saw it! {FOUND IT!} This one also uses Dawn McVey's color challenge from Week 2. I LOVE the colors she chooses and just had to play along this week! This week I used Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery and Whisper White.

Regarding the sketch, I did my best is all I can say. I swear after I had my pieces all cut out and put together getting them on the card in accordance with the sketch was just sooooo hard- I played with them forever! I nearly left the two horizontal strips off altogether, then decided I really liked the contrast... just not the busy look when they were on top of the bottom panel as suggested. But guess what- that's what a challenge is all about... getting you going. It's inspiration to jump off from which is just what I did. So go try it- see where you end up and be sure to post a link to your card on the Diva site so we can all leave you some love!

Sorry I couldn't get this posted before now. Ran out of time last night! Have a great day everyone!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Card 1-

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly

Paper: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Baroque Burgandy, Basic Black, Print Patterns

Accessories: Big Shot, Texturz Plates, Butterfly Die, Build-a-Brads, Non-SU Diamond Stickles

Card 2

Stamps: Eastern Blooms, Canvas Background, Wow Flowers (for sentiment only)

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery, Whisper White

Accessories: scallop edge punch, chocolate grosgrain ribbon, paper snips, Stampin' Dimensionals

It's a Diva Wednesday!! {DCBD#120}

Here is my card for this week's Diva Challenge! I don't know what made me go with the Wanted stamp set.. in fact, neither of the cards are at all what I pictured when I saw the inspiration piece and color scheme. I thought I'd go with something nice and soft and pretty and feminine. I guess my second one is sort of feminine with all the flowers and glitter, but I think it could fall in the "tacky"category too which is why I did another one. (You'll see that one later in this post.)

Our challenge was to use Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Going Gray (oh crap, I just realized I used Basic Gray. Oops!), and Whisper White. I have absolutely not another shred of Going Gray so I'm kind of glad I didn't notice that until now- I would've totally stressed about that! I guess I'll have to break down and buy some- although the only reason I haven't thusfar is because it ONLY comes in a multi pack with other neutrals, of which I have TONS!

Anyway, this is a card for one of my son's classmates who is home sick after having his tonsils out. Here is the inside. Don't you just love how that horse looks when stamped multiple times in a row?! I didn't get my western star on the front anywhere so thought I'd put the sentiment (from Mini Mates) on it inside. The medallion stamped behind it is also from Wanted.

This is the other card I did with these colors. It is also for Monday's Clean & Simple challenge on SCS to use punches on a CAS card. I used the retired Spring Bouquet punch as well as the current Curly Label punch. The rows of "happy birthday" at the left were done with the Happy Happy Birthday jumbo wheel. I cut the curve in a piece of typing paper with the rotary tool in the Cutter Kit then layed it over my card front so I could wheel in that same curved pattern (if that makes any sense).

Then I adhered the flowers and stamped the greeting with versamark, embossed with Heat & Stick powder then poured on some fine cosmo glitter! Punched it out and attached. There is a touch of glitter on the centers of a few of the flowers which ended up getting glitter everywhere.

Anyway, there you go! Two very different cards with the very same (wrong, but same) color scheme!

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

card 1:

Stamps- Wanted, Sanded, Oval All, Mini Mates (retired)

Cardstock- Basic Gray, Rose Red, Bashful Blue, Whisper White

Accessories- Scalloped oval punch, large oval punch, Pewter Jumbo Eyelets, Top Note, Big Shot, Bashful Blue Grosgrain, sponge, distressing tool, Crop-a-Dile

card 2:

Stamps- Cute & Curly

Cardstock- Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Rose REd, Basic Gray

Accessories- Happy Happy Birthday Jumbo Wheel, Spring Bouquet punch, fine Cosmo Glitter, Curly Label punch, Heat & Stick Powder, Versamark

FINALLY! A post today!

That's how Tuesday's are I guess- since I volunteer at school in the morning and I'm usually working on my DCBD challenge for Wednesday...

But I did get a chance to make something for today's Splitcoast Color Challenge! This challenge was to use Baha Breeze, Pretty in Pink and Kiwi Kiss!

My brain went all over the place on this one but you know what finally got me started?? Scraps! That's right- almost every card I do is dictated by what I find in my scrapbag for a particular color scheme. Honest! I'm not saying these were all scraps... well, OK, they were all scraps except the white mat behind the Baha layer! Even the Pretty in Pink card base was already cut and scored.

So I whipped out an old technique for this one- Poppin' Pastels! I hadn't planned to, but once I saw the white flowers on the blue I decided to just dab a touch of color with my chalks. I still wanted a sort of dreamy look so I didn't chalk the stems in green (I also don't have a Kiwi chalk!).

If you are noticing the scalloped edge I know what you're thinking. I'm using it an awful lot lately for not being "so crazy" about it, and not being a "frilly type". You got me! I didn't think I really cared to have that punch, but hey, I reserve the right to change my mind!

I have nearly an entire spool of that Pink Pirouette ribbon so had to get that on here! I love it, so not sure why I haven't used it much. I think tying a chunky knot with that wider ribbon sometimes stumps me, like in this case. But, I found an alternative so that my sentiment could still fit nicely without all the bulk.

Well, thanks for visiting. Gotta run! Tuesday is our gymnastics night and MY volleyball night which I look forward to tremendously!

See ya'll tomorrow! Be sure to come back to see the DCBD challenge and the winners of last week's contest!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Oval All

Ink: Whisper White, Baha Breeze

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Baha Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White

Accessories: Eyelet border punch, large oval punch, curly label punch, button bouquet, wide Pink PIrouette grosgrain, chalks, sponge dauber, linen thread, Big Shot, Dotted Texturz Plates

A color & a sketch (and a hug around the neck?!)

Happy Monday! It's time for another Mojo Monday challenge and a brand new Raspberry Suite Color Challenge by Dawn McVey- her very first! Well, I combined the two just for fun, and fun it was! Here is the sketch as well as the color challenge which I took to be Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie and Rose Red.

I like to mix up the main panel in sketch challenges like this. To me it is so easy to just reach for white or vanilla without thinking and go from there, but the cards with some other color for that panel are the ones that often catch my eye... hence, the chocolate chip with stems from Embrace Life stamped in white ink.

I also used my new Eyelet border punch and the Beautiful Butterflies Die with the Big Shot. Also fairly new is the 5/16" jumbo white brad in the center of the butterfly.

The DSP that I used is from old pattern packs that were free hostess gifts in the past. The ribbon, you may recognize as the chocolate chip twill that was offered in a mini a while ago. I may not stray when it comes to using Stampin' Up! only products, but I can say that I use old & new, retired or not, together all the time. No wasting supplies or regrets here!

Well, thanks for stopping by! Oh HEY, don't forget to play along with the Diva's challenge from last week to WIN a PRIZE! Your odds are about 1 in 16 right now- that's not bad! We're choosing our winner tomorrow.

One more thing, there are 8 days left in Sale-a-Bration so be sure to get your orders placed ASAP if you want FREE STUFF! Your first on-line order of any amount now until April 30th (or while supplies last) will earn you a FREE Idea Book & Catalog.

OK, that's all.

~Kristin

Another Diva Challenge!

Its Wednesday and you know what that means! Time for another Diva Coffee Break Design Color Challenge! This week we are to use Pink Pirouette, Almost Amethyst, Always Artichoke and Kraft! Ooh, love 'em!

Here is my take on this color scheme. The first one anyway... I do plan to do this one again! I struggled getting the pink in there at first, having only sponged the edges of the kraft square. However, I think I satisified the pink requirement with my sheer organdy ribbon and 2 square rhinestone brads. The flower in the center and the strip on the right are actually cardstock stickers from an older Simply Sent Kit that SU sent me as a thank you last summer called Tagged Etiquette. This is the first I've used it.

This layout is borrowed from yet another Mojo Monday sketch from a few week's ago (Mojo71 I believe).

Be sure to check out the other Diva's work today! We'd love to have you play along as well!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamps: Full of Life

Cardstock: Always Artichoke, kraft, almost amethyst

Accessories: sponge, square fire rhinestone brads, pink narrow organdy ribbon, scallop circle punch, circle punches, Simply Sent Kit Tagged Etiquette.

Double Whammy Thursday... and Fun News!

So, I still haven't learned how to budget my time so I can not only scan my favorite blogs and Splitcoast , but also have time to stamp something and actually get it posted in a timely manner so any blog readers I might have actually have something new to view! I'll get better at it.

This first card is one I did for the Featured Stamper Challenge which occurs every Sunday. The goal is to find something from the FS's gallery and let it inspire you. The FS on Sunday was BeckyTE. Here is her card that I "borrowed". Actually, I really only used her layout. Hers is so soft and pretty, but I didn't have the same stamps or paper, so this is what I came up with. I tried to get the same look. This is a lot of layers for me, but it was fun!

The other card I'm posting here is the color challenge for Tuesday (one of my favorite challenges) using Kraft, Sage shadow and Orchid Opulence. It is also a sketch from the Fan Club Challenges I've mentioned. Anyway, since one of the new fine Cosmo Glitters from SU is an orchid color I let that be my starting point. The flower is from the set of Sticky Cut letters- quite fun to use! I feel like this is still missing something- not sure what. Square cards are a bit hard for me... Thanks for stopping by to check things out! PS- I like how Amy Sheffer does her supply list so I'm trying something new for you today (thanks Amy!)

Supplies: All SU.

Thinking of You

Stamps: Spring Solitude hostess set

Paper: Wintergreen (retired), always artichoke, soft sky & Naturals ivory

Accessories: Celery grosgrain, Love & Happiness Rub-on, certainly celery, chocolate chip and always artichoke markers

Ink: Blue Bayou (06-07 In Color)

Happy Sparkly Birthday

Stamps: Lovely Letters, Priceless, Happy Everything

Paper: Kraft, Very Vanilla, Orchid Opulence

Accessories: Sticky Cut Letters, Fine Cosmo Glitter, 1" circle punch, scallop punch, white gel pen, kraft taffeta ribbon, white EP.

Ink: Sage Shadow, Whisper White, Orchid Opulence

OOH, and I almost forgot the Fun News! I found out this week that one of my cards will be published in the August issue of Cards Idea Book Series. I'm not sure which card yet, but I'm so excited! This will be my first time being published, and the first time I've ever submitted anything. Might be beginners luck, but I'm willing to try again! And even more exciting, three of my Great Swap pals will also be in the same issue!! Give it up for Krystie Lee, Dawn and Becky!

Color Combo Challenge (CC155)

Well, I tried to post this yesterday but blogger must have been having some problems... Anyway, every Tuesday Splitcoast hosts a color combo challenge, which is one of my favorites. For yesterday's challenge the colors were awesome- River Rock, Basic Black and Whisper White. Here is the card I came up with, which I'm pretty pleased with! I love the sharp contrast of these colors together...
All supplies used are from Stampin' Up: Love & Happiness Rub-Ons in white and black (hint: there are no stamps used on this card!). These rub-ons are part of the Sale-a-Bration deal and can be FREE with a $50 order if you choose them! The ribbon used is Black Gingham and Double Stitched Grosgrain in River Rock. The scallop punch fits the rub-on I've used here and is raised with Stampin' Dimensionals (pop dots). Thanks for looking- I hope this inspires you to give rub-ons a chance- they are SO MUCH FUN!