Picky like that

OK, alright, you guessed it.  I'm addicted to sketch challenges!  Frankly, I like them better than color challenges.  You see, I am picky about colors and combinations of colors and sometimes my mood even determines what colors I want to use. 

(don't ask me what my favorite color is like my daughter does often.  I CAN'T possibly answer that.  Like I tell her, I like all colors, just not together, not for everything and not on certain days)

I kind of get the attitude like "don't tell me what colors to use"... but I'm fine being given a sketch.  In fact, I prefer it.  That probably says something about my brain and ability or lack thereof, to design.  That might also explain why I've resorted to giving YOU a color challenge.  I'm bossy like that. 

So today I've used a sketch from Pals Paper Arts.  Love it- gives me JUST enough to work with.  Gets those creative juices flowing. 

Today I've also used some contraband.  Shhh.  The only reason I'm pointing it out is because otherwise I imagine I'll get someone asking where in the SU catalog are those embossing folders I used.  No where.  Well, not entirely true.  I used my trusty polka dots, so of course you can find them.  And the newer one (the oval frame) called Designer Frames.  Those are in there too.  The others, not so much.  They are in a set of 5 skinny strip folders called With Love by Provocraft.  That's all I'm saying 'bout that. 

And before you ask, here is the inside.  Crummy picture, even with all the editing in the world and beautiful sunlight.  Crappy camera (user).  That center piece is actually Pool Party which is why it looks so off white.

So after all the fuss, what do you think of my color combo?  I had it written down as a future challenge to use here... but got antsy and couldn't resist it.  (Same with yesterday's card!)  It is Concord Crush, Pool Party and Basic Gray.  With white of course. 

Well, I already mentioned almost everything I used in this card but I know some of you aren't reading a word of this (can't blame you) and will just cut to the list of supplies if you even want to know.  So here it is, and thanks for stopping by!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Best Yet

Colors:  Concord crush, Basic Gray, Pool Party, Whisper White

Accessories:  Big Shot, contraband previously mentioned, Polka Dot embossing folder, Designer Frames embossing folder, Concord Crush Stitched Poly ribbon, Basic Pearls

Aviary Christmas

OK, OK, here's a card finally!  My desk is all cleaned off and neat so I had to make a card today before getting back to my scrapbook table for the evening.  I decided to try my hand at the Pals Paper Arts sketch and used the Paper Players color challenge while I was at it.  Thought I could probably use a few more Christmas cards and love finding non-Christmas sets to use and experiment with.

The embossing is done with the new Pewter embossing powder from the Holiday Mini.  Until I see it side by side with Silver I'm not sure I see a difference.  Poo!  Like my holly leaves?  Made them myself!  Started with the large oval punch then punched chunks out with a 1" circle punch.  Then flipped them over and, while on the squishy mat from the Crafter's Tool Kit, drew lines with a pencil, making sure to go over them a few times for the embossed look.   Actually turned out better than I expected!  My sentiment tag is 4 pack sizzlit set called Lots of Tags.

Here's a quick peek at the inside.  I had this vanilla piece that was a bit too short so added a few layers of dotted scallop trim and some more Ridinghood Red taffeta ribbon to finish it off. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  And thanks to Paper Players and Pals Paper Arts for the great challenges!
~Kristin

Featuring Easter

Good morning stampers!  I've got a card for you today.  This is for the Featured Stamper Challenge over on Splitcoaststampers.  Here is the card of BFinlay that I decided to use as my inspiration.  You'll see it was the sketch that I copied.  I tried to do a bit of a modern twist by punching my flowers out with a circle punch and keeping the details simple, like paper piercing around the edges of the circle.  Added a few rhinestones for detail and bling.  This stamp set is one of the currently available Sale-a-Bration sets which you can get for FREE with any $50 order!

Made it an Easter card for the Pals Paper Arts challenge as well.  Hope you like it!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Sweet Summer, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors: So Saffron, Concord Crush, Whisper White, Pale Plum, Always Artichoke

Accessories:  1" circle punch, circle cutter, Basic Rhinestones, Concord Crush ribbon, markers, white gel pcn, paper piecing tools

The NEED to stamp!

Good morning!  Boy, has anyone else been in a stampin' slump?  I told my husband last night, you know it's bad when I have time to stamp but no motivation or desire!  You really know the winter blahs have set in when you're a stamper that doesn't want to stamp!  So I sat down last night and stamped a few things, neither of which I was crazy about... but this morning I decided to try again and am finally happy with what I did! 

I put the PPA color challenge to work and actually designed my own sketch!  Yep, that means I sketched it out on paper before I even started.  I wish I knew of a way to design sketches digitally and I'd consider having a sketch challenge right here on my blog occasionally.  Maybe some day! 

Anyway, for this card I used a mix of old and new (like always!).  The stamp sets I used are not new, but only the sentiment in the Hodgepodge Hardware is acually retired (Think Happy Thoughts).  The other two are Inspired by Nature and Flight of the Butterfly.  The punches and colors are still available, as well as the DSP Elegant Soiree. 

Hope you like!  And keep your fingers crossed for me that I might be able to hold on to my new found stamping motivation! 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly, Inspired by Nature, THink Happy Thoughts

Colors: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, Night of Navy

Accessories: Itty Bitty punch pack, Desiner Label punch, butterfly punch, scalloped border punch, Big Shot, Dotted embossing folder, basic pearls, Vanilla Hodgepodge

Stamped My Heart Out!

It's been way too long- too much time away from stamping... so when I sat down to create for an upcoming workshop (after borrowing TONS of mini catalog stuff from my downline Jen, thanks Jen!) I couldn't stop!  I stamped off and on for three days I think.  Of course there were several interruptions since my hubby is out of town but I got seven cards done!!  Here are the first two I'm showing you. 

This first one was done with the new Sale-a-Bration set called Punch Bunch as well as some of the Ice Cream Parlor DSP .  I also tried a new technique out that I learned on Stampin' 411 called Embossed Backgrounds.  Do you see the embossed arrows?  Those were punched with the My Way arrow punch then ran through the Big Shot as shown on the awesome tutorial.  I LOVE to dry emboss with the Big Shot and this opens up fabulous new possibilities limited only by your punch and die cut selections!  Stay tuned, I'll show you another card using this technique on Wednesday for Diva Day!  The sketch for this card is from Pals Paper Arts- PPA81.

Here is another card that is very closely inspired by one in the Stampin' Success magazine that SU Demos get each month.  It is full of fantastic articles and samples to keep us inspired!  See that tiny delicate scallop at the top and bottom??  I used the Dotted Scalloped Ribbon Border punch that I thought I could live without and now know I can't! 

I hope you like these.  I'll be sure to be back with more.  Tuesday I'll show you the projects my ladies did at the workshop I'm having tomorrow! 

Have a great day!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Card 1: 

Stamps- Punch Bunch

Colors- Basic Gray, Melon Mambo, Old Olive

Accessories- My Way punch, Big Shot, circle punches, owl punch, scallop square punch

Card 2:

Stamps- I {Heart} Hearts

Colors: River Rock, Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist

Accessories: Heart to Heart punch, Basic Pearls, Marina Mist narrow ribbon, large heart punch, Dotted Scalloped Ribbon Border punch

A Vintage Birthday

Gotta run, will add the details in a bit! 

OK, I'm back with details.  I cheated a bit and put this up early last night so I could still make it in for the PPA challenge to use a bit of vintage style.  But it is also for today's DCBD sketch challenge.  I've flipped the sketch on it's side which is normal for me. With all its details and layers, vintage style is not normally one I gravitate to so this took me a while... but I'm pleased with it.  I almost called it done before I decided I needed the flowers to stay true to the sketch.  Glad I added them- it was too plain without them.  The flowers were easy to make, just punched about 3 flowers for each one with the Boho Blossoms punch then crumpled them up and layered them and added the pearl.  

I used two different stamp sets to pull this one off:  Vintage Labels and Vintage Vogue.  I guess having "Vintage" in the title was the only way I was sure they could pass for vintage.  LOL!  

If you don't recognize the papers they are from a pack of Designer Series paper called Recollections from, oh I don't know, maybe three years ago.  Quite old for paper! 

Well, thanks for visiting and for your comments- they bring me cheer on these long and dreary winter days.  Thank goodness for sunshine and these 50+ degree temps they keep promising are coming! Make sure to go visit the DCBD blog and play along with this week's sketch challenge! 

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Vintage Labels, Vintage Vogue

Papers: Confetti Cream (card base), Recollections DSP, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Crisp

Accessories: Chantilly ribbon, Basic Pearls, Boho Blossoms punch, Wide Oval punch, corner rounder

Second Post for today- be sure to scroll down to see the Diva Challenge!

 To get back to my lost mojo I have been playing along with a variety of challenges.  The PPA color challenge; Riding Hood Red, Certainly Celery and Rich Razzleberry worked for this birthday card.  Oops, as I typed that I realized I left out the Riding Hood Red.  Good thing I missed the deadline for entry!  Guess my brain is still only partially functioning.  Anyway, I also really liked the looks of this sketch challenge over at Create with Connie & Mary's blog so I used that too! 

Up next is the first of four double page layouts I did recently.  My sister got a Cricut for Christmas so I got to play with that for my title.  Everything  else is from Stampin' Up!  The layout is one I found in an old Creating Keepsake magazine.

I hope you are having a great day!  Live like you mean it!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies for card:

Stamps: Well Scripted

Colors: Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery, Whisper White

Accessories: Top Note die, Big Shot, Scallop circle punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Glimmer Brad, Scribbles Sizzlit, Rich Razzleberry ribbon in dotted grosgrain & narrow, White embossing powder, Elegant Lines embossing folder

An Early Valentine

Good morning!  I've got something new for you today!  I needed a good challenge yesterday and decided to play along with the PPA Color Challenge as well as Connie & Mary's cool sketch!  I thought the Scalloped Envelope would work perfect for the sketch and was happy to fill it with punched hearts from the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.  Love how one of the stamps coordinates with the Heart to Heart punch! 

Did you notice the inside of the envelope (barely showing) was wheeled with the new Music Notes wheel?  That wheel is new to me- I decided I couldn't live without it any longer since I've always had a bit of a musical background. 

Hope you like it!  Tomorrow I'll be back with another Valentine that is completely different!  Thanks for stopping by today!  It is so good to be back to blogging regularly and reading your sweet comments.  They make my day!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Well Scripted

Colors: Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White

Accessories: Big Shot, Scallop Envelope Bigz Die, Heart to Heart punch, Decorative Label punch, Basic Pearls, White Organza Ribbon, Music Notes Wheel

Kudos!!

ku-dos: statements of praise or approval

Oh boy, I'm so excited to have received such accolades recently!  I was a "PPA Pick" on the classy and stylish Paper Pal Arts blog with THIS CARD and again with THIS CARD!  I am always drawn to blogs that feature challenges especially when their gorgeous samples feature Stampin' Up! products!

And to compound my pleasure I also was named a Stampin' Royalty Goddess Pick at the Stampin' Royalty blog with THIS CARD for their sketch challenge.

Thanks ladies for the honors- I will display my badges with pride!

~Kristin

Elegant Christmas

This week's PPA challenge is to find inspiration in the given photo for a card of your own.  To me the photo (which, once again Blogger will not allowe me to include) is elegant and refined and I noticed the lovely color combo of plum, gold and vanilla and white.  I tried to mimic both the feel and the colors in this Christmas card.  Also, the Just Add Ink challenge theme this week is Christmas.

The shimmery white cardstock layer was embossed with the Elegant Lines embossing folder then punched through with the ornament punch.  The Rich Razzleberry layer was also punched with the ornament punch.  I added a snowflake and gold glimmer brad on the inside to show through the ornament "window".  My final details were added with some white organza ribbon, narrow Rich Razzleberry ribbon, gold cord and some gold embossing powder.  The gold embossing powder was easy to apply just in specific areas by using the fine tip of the Versamarker!

My photo isn't the best, although I tried believe me, but the shimmer is really pretty in real life. 

Thanks for visiting today!  Hope you are staying warm wherever you are!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: All Holidays (embossed in gold inside)

Colors:  Rich Razzleberry, Shimmery White, gold

Accessories:  Big Shot, ornament punch, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Merry Details Sizzlit, white organza ribbon, gold cord, Rich Razzleberry narrow ribbon, versamarker, gold embossing powder

Peek-a-Boo!

Good morning!  I've got a card for ya today, believe it or not.  This sweet stamp set, Build-a-Roo just arrived on Friday and I had to get it inky right away!  I've always thought it is cute and fairly versatile.  This sketch is from the Pals Paper Arts (PPA61) challenge and the color combo is for the Color Throwdown (CTD111). 

For my circle element for the sketch I used a black jumbo grommet.  I have TIP for using those babies:  don't try to put the prongs through the paper, just bend them flat with an old eyelet hammer and attach it with glue dots.  It doesn't wrinkle up the paper and is much easier to attach. 

I colored the kangaroo with my blender pens and some River Rock ink then some touches of Soft Suede for some shading.  Yes, I know, my coloring skills aren't up to par with the masters! 

If you have a Stamp-a-Majig this is a great set to use it for to get the accessories in the kangaroo's pouch!  This set comes with not only the baby roo, but also flowers and hearts plus a few things to put in her hand and 3 different sentiments.

Have a great Sunday!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Build-a-Roo

Colors: River Rock, Pacific Point, Whisper White, Basic Black, Melon Mambo

Accessories: Pacific Point striped grosgrain, Big Shot, Dotted Embossing folder, black Jumbo Grommet, Scallop border punch, blender pens

Admire Nature

Well, I'm no Zindorf with my brayering sunset skills, but it'll do. This stamp set, Nature Silhouettes, is one that I've seriously neglected and have felt guilty about it. Do you ever feel guilty about certain stamp sets?? Sometimes when it occurs to me that I haven't used a set enough to justify having purchased it I'll write it down so that next time I am stamping I reach for it first... and it works usually.

Anyway, I used a Pals Paper Arts sketch for this card. It is funny how this card evolved! I started out with the intentions of using Blushing Bride and Early Espresso, then chose this stamp set (out of guilt) and decided to try my hand at a brayered sunset. Well, Blushing Bride is in there but you just can't see it. My sunset from bottom up is Bravo Burgandy, Cherry Cobler (same as card base- yummy!), More Mustard and Blushing Bride. My silhouettes are in Early Espresso (which I'd love to emboss in!).

My brads are from the new neutrals collection- did you notice them?? Black, Crumb Cake, White and Vanilla. I've always wanted white and vanilla brads. If only they had some Espresso brads it would be a perfectly complete collection!

So glad you stopped in to visit me today! Thanks for the comments you guys leave me- they always make my day and definitely motivate me to keep posting. Have a great day!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Nature Silhouettes, Woodgrain background

Colors: (ink mentioned above) Cherry Cobler, Really Rust, More Mustard, Early Espresso (all cardstock)

Accessories: Pumpkin Pie striped ribbon, neutral brads in Crumb Cake, brayer, sponde, Big Shot, Square Lattice textured impressions folder

A Thought Away

Now that my mojo is back I've been trying to keep stamping for fear of it disappearing again. I whipped this one together pretty quickly Thursday night using the Pals Paper Arts color challenge to use Crushed Curry, Soft Suede and Bermuda Bay. Yummy- I really enjoyed using these colors together!

I also thoroughly love using Jackie Topa's idea of the bird wing from the Two-Step Bird Punch as a petal for a flower. Isn't that awesome?! Used some Crushed Curry ink around the edges (applied with a sponge dauber) for added dimension that makes a HUGE difference! The centers are just 1/2" Crushed Curry circles punched out then stamped with Soft Suede ink and the old Canvas background (I told you I NEVER get rid of stamps), then covered with those clear sticky circles from the Build-a-Brad. I have a bunch of the circles left but only 3 of the metal brads... go figure.


All the edges on this card are distressed with Soft Suede ink. I also used the distressing tool and the perforator tool on the suede piece. Added a library clip and some linen thread and called it quites. What do you think?! I adore the curry flowers on the suede and am so glad I found not only the color challenge but also Jackie's neat flower petal idea.

Well, gotta run! I'm out the door to head north for the weekend. Was dragging my feet because the UPS guy is over 3 hours late with my new catty but I just can't wait any more. At least I got this post done so you'll have something to see on Saturday (a rare treat from me, I know)!

Thanks for stopping in,
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Whimsical Words, Canvas

Colors: Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Build-a-Brad stickers, distressing tool, Curly Label punch, Library clip, linen thread, sponge daubers