TCC200 Birthday Bookshelf

 Happy Thursday, peeps!  I have a quick card today, in a "clean and layered" style, for the Card Concept challenge:

I used some All About Autumn DSP for my background to mimic the book and sweater in the inspiration photo, and added a sentiment and a diecut leaf from the same DSP in a maroon hue:

I tied it with a bit of Copper Clay twine that I separated (to get a thinner strand) and it was done, and it is in the mail already!  Thanks for popping in on this fall day!

My "little" sister stopped in on her way from SC to a Penn State football game; you can see I am now "embracing" the gray....a hard pill to swallow, but it's easier to maintain, LOL!  (Sorry the photo is not the best!)

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Throughout The Year
Card stock & Papers	Smoky Slate, All About Autumn DSP
Ink	Night of Navy
Accessories	Copper Clay Twine, Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Nested Essentials Dies, Stitched Leaves Dies (ret)

Very Very Busy on the Farm

Happy Monday, everyone!  I have a very busy card for you today; I confess that I normally do not add so many layers on my cards (although I have been known to do that), but after seeing the pretty inspiration photo over at my friends' The Card Concept challenge, I decided to go whole hog...pun intended! Here's their inspiration:

Isn't that a fun wreath to hang on one's door?  Lots of country elements there.  I chose not to make a wreath, but I did use the Atlantic Hearts Sketch challenge sketch:

So hang onto your socks, here we go:

First, my concept is probably Shabby and Vintage. I remembered an older SU stamp called Provencal which had a rooster, so I stamped it in Stazon ink on Shimmery White cardstock, did a wee bit of watercoloring, then added lots and lots of Timeless Arrangement layers:

The barn and sentiment are from Papertrey's On the Farm; the background is an older My Favorite Things Distressed Background Blocks in a chicken wire pattern.  I finished it off with some gingham ribbon and a couple of enamel dots.  I originally had opted for a white background for the front but I ended up adding it to the inside, along with a couple more PTI stamps:

Thanks for visiting today!  The weather turned warmer, it's lovely, but it's also brought out the stink bugs, so the rest of the day I'll be swatting them away!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Provencal (ret), On the Farm (Papertrey), Distressed Background Blocks (My Favorite Things)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry, Garden Green, Crumb Cake, Shimmery White (ret)
Ink	Crumb Cake, Stazon Black, Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry, Versafine Black
Accessories	Black & White Gingham Ribbon, Dimensionals, Enamel Dots (unknown)
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Stylish Shapes Dies, Timeless Arrangements Dies, Aquapainter

TCC178 Vintage Shells

Hi stampers!  Happy Wednesday!  Today we have a beautiful new Card Concept challenge, just in time for summer stamping!  Here's the pretty prompt:

For my "clean and layered" card, I decided to pull out a vintage-style 100 Proof Press stamp and use it, along with the colors in the palette, to make a pretty seashell-inspired card:

The card is pretty simple; the shells are stamped in Pool Party on Basic White cardstock, and I ripped the edges for a rustic look.  I ripped some Balmy Blue cardstock to create a mat, then put it on a Crumb Cake card base on which I stamped some "woodgrain" from the retired Gorgeous Grunge:

I added some speckles from Friends are Like Seashells, some thick baker's twine, and a sentiment from Friends are Like Seashells on the inside, since I just couldn't find a place that I like for it on the front!

I have a special friend whose birthday is in August and she loves the beach, so I'll probably save this one for her!  

The design team has come up with some gorgeous creations using our inspiration photo....I hope you'll play along with us at share your "concept" as well at The Card Concept!  This will be our last challenge until fall, so enjoy your summer season and thanks for popping in!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Friends are Like Seashells, Gorgeous Grunge (ret), Shell Plate 17 (100 Proof Press)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Balmy Blue, Crumb Cake
Ink	Soft Suede, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Versamark
Accessories	Thick Baker's Twine (ret)
Tools

TCC177 You're Awesome

Hello stampers, happy Wednesday!  Time for a new Card Concept challenge, where we use different concepts to create our cards!  Here's our timely prompt for this week:

What a great inspiration for Father's Day or any masculine birthday or anniversary, right?  Except I have NOTHING that vaguely resembles anything on the prompt, except perhaps some leaves!!!  So I went with the plaid theme, grabbing some of the Plaid Tidings DSP from a couple of years ago and an element from the new He's the Man DSP to create my clean and layered card for today:

I took a piece of Mango Melody, diecut it with a die from the All That set, and then ran it through the Timber embossing folder.  Before running it through, I inked one side of it with Soft Suede ink to give it the two-tone effect.  I then cut it in half and layered it behind the grilling element and added a couple of stamped stars and some Rustic Metallic Dots:

Since the plaid had stripes of Merry Merlot in it, I chose to mount it on a card base of that color.  On the inside, I will add a sentiment when the time comes!  It's always a challenge to have masculine cards around, so I was happy to add this one to my stash!  I hope you'll be inspired to create a masculine card using our prompt too!  Check out all the "concepts" on the Card Concept blog, then share your creation with us too.  Meanwhile, check out all the fun cards our design team has come up with as well!  See you there!

Here's another project I recently finished for my July 4th decor:

And here are a couple of cuties....patriotic Raggedy Ann & Andy!  I found them at a yard sale for 50 cents apiece!  They're sitting in my tiered tray on my kitchen table:

Thanks for popping by...enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Background Blocks (on the small stars, Concord & 9th)
Card stock & Papers	Mango Melody, Merry Merlot, Cajun Craze, He's the Man Specialty DSP
Ink	Soft Suede, Crumb Cake
Accessories	Mini Dimensionals, Rustic Metallic Dots
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched Rectangle Dies, All That Dies, Timber EF, Small Star Punch (ret)

TCC176 God Bless America

Hi stamping friends!  Happy Wednesday!  It's time for a new Card Concept challenge where we use various concepts to create our artwork!  One of these days, I'm going to try a new concept...I always seem to gravitate towards the same clean-and-layered style, LOL!  Here's our timely inspiration photo: 

I made a simple card since this week has been a bit of a blur; I chose to use the stars and stripes theme as well as the challenge colors to make my clean and layered patriotic card:

This stamp came out shortly after 9/11 and although I have a few patriotic stamps, this is one of my favorites!  I stamped it in Night of Navy and Real Red and diecut it with the Stylish Shapes dies:

I added some Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper stars and a strip of Balmy Blue glimmer paper on top of  some SU and Tim Holtz papers.  I used the sketch from Atlantic Hearts:

I hope you'll find some time to play along with us this week using our inspiration photo!  Be sure to check out what the DT created over at the Card Concept blog; you'll see you don't have to make a patriotic card at all!  Have fun!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	God Bless American (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Heart & Home DSP, Seasonal DSP (Tim Holtz), Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper (ret), Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper (ret)
Ink	Night of Navy, Real Red
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Stylish Shapes Dies, Mini Treat Bag Dies (ret), Country Star Punch (ret)

The Card Concept 175 Jar of Flowers

Happy Wednesday, crafty friends!  It's time for a new Card Concept challenge, where we use different concepts to create our cards!  Today I have another clean and layered card (no surprise there!), but first, let's see the prompt that Julie has for us:

Isn't that so pretty!  What gorgeous colors!  I used the colors as my inspiration, along with the flowers and the jar!  Here we go:

I wish I had some pretty pale DSP in the pink shade that is in the photo, but I couldn't find anything that I liked, so I opted for the Pale Papaya paper from the Hand-Penned retired papers.  I pulled out my trusty Jar of Love and stamped some flowers in pretty colors and arranged them in my Pale Papaya jar:

I added a sentiment from Happiness Abounds, stamped on a Tailor Made Tag and added some Pale Papaya ribbon.  I also used the Stitched with Whimsy die around the outside edge of the DSP.  I'll add a sentiment on the inside when I'm ready to send this little pretty off!

I think this is such a gorgeous spring inspiration that I hope you'll play along with us at the Card Concept.  You can see all the "concepts" on the blog; be sure to tell us what concept you're using too!  Thanks for visiting today!

Cassidy just loves babies and Dana's friend was happy to oblige her by letting her hold her wee one:

Dana calls her a little Cabbage Patch!  LOL!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Happiness Abounds, Jar of Love (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Hand-Penned DSP (ret)
Ink	Mint Macaron, So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Flirty Flamingo, Poppy Parade, Pale Papaya, Blushing Bride, Petal Pink
Accessories	Pale Papaya Sheer Ribbon, Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Tailor Made Tags Dies, Stitched With Whimsy Dies,  Everyday Jar Dies (ret)

TCC174 Spring Flowers

Happy Wednesday, peeps!  It's time for another beautiful Card Concept challenge, where you get to tell us the "card concept" you use to create your card!  Here's the prompt that Julie has for us this week:

 

Isn't this a pretty garden?  And house?  Although it would take a lot of nerve for me to have a pink door, LOL!  But in the stamping world, we can have anything we want!  I didn't do a pink door, but I did use Magenta Madness as a focal point for my Clean and Layered card, so here we go:

I just used the Jar of Flowers last week, but what a surprise, it worked for my card today as well!  I didn't quite know what ink to use for stamping the outline, as I did not want black, but I found one of my distress inks worked very well with watercoloring....I tend to forget that I have a few of those inks!  This one happened to be Weathered Wood, which is a sort of blue tone, and it worked nicely with the palette of the challenge.

I used Magenta Madness, Highland Heather, Balmy Blue, Soft Seafoam and Old Olive for my flowers, fussy cutting them out after watercoloring them on watercolor paper.  I also watercolored the stems, and hid the seam under the sentiment from Eden's Garden.  My Magenta panel was embossed with the new Fern EF, and the white panel was embossed with Timeworn Type.  The card base is the retired Almost Amethyst, which seemed to work a little better than the darker purple shades we have now.  On the inside, I stamped a verse from Our Daily Bread Designs:

For embellishments, I added some Polished Pink Open Weave ribbon and a sprinkling of sequins from my stash.  I also used the "CASE the Designer" challenge from Global Design Project:

Sadly, this card will be going to Julie, the creative genius behind The Card Concept, as she lost her dear husband earlier this week after a very long illness.  I hope it brings her comfort!  Thanks for visiting today....I hope you'll play along with us and share your creation, and its concept, with us at The Card Concept!  And I thought I'd share a floral arrangment left from the funeral at our church on Sunday, as well as some more flowers from the conservatory at Longwood; their colors match the prompt so well, I just had to share!

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Jar of Flowers, Eden's Garden, Scripture Collection 1 (Our Daily Bread Designs)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Magenta Madness, Watercolor, Shimmery White, Almost Amethyst (ret)
Ink	Old Olive, Soft Seafoam, Balmy Blue, Magenta Madness, Highland Heather, Weathered Wood Distress (Tim Holton)
Accessories	Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Dimensionals, Polished Pink Open Weave Ribbon
Tools	Big Shot,Stitched Rectangle Dies, Stylish Shapes Dies, Fern EF, Timeworn Type EF, Aquapainter

TCC173 Shabby Chic

Hi there, stampers!  Today I have a card for the new Card Concept challenge, and the challenge gave me a chance to do a shabby-chic card! They're just about my favorite style to make but they do take me a wee bit longer, so I don't make them as often as I would like to!  Anyway, here's Julie's prompt:

Aren't those pillows gorgeous?  I am a pillow nut, I have tons on my couch, but then we have to take them off when we all want to sit on it, LOL!  Anyway, I pulled out a couple of old SU sets, Freehand Florals from W+9, and some Prima Farm Sweet Farm papers to create my shabby chic/vintage card for this week:

I started with the sketch from Sunday Stamps:

 

then layered on some of the papers to a Sahara Sand base.  I stamped the birdcage from Nature Walk in Stazon Black, then added a few more elements from the same set to the background; the flower in Blushing Bride, the "number" in Sahara Sand, and I also stamped from script from French Foliage:

The flowers are from W+9, stamped in Blushing Bride and Merry Merlot along with Sahara Sand foliage.  The sentiment, heat embossed in white, is from Our Daily Bread Design Mini Tag Sentiments.  I diecut the circle and the banner with the new Stylish Shapes dies that will be coming out next month!  Love them!  Finally, I diecut a little wren from Sahara Sand and added a little color and shading to him so he could perch just below the bird cage.  I also added some Black & White gingham ribbon for fun!

I didn't stamp anything on the inside; I will leave it blank until I know for what occasion I'll be using it!  Now, I hope this gorgeous sets of pillows will whet your stamping appetite to come play with us.  Just be sure to tell us your stamping "style" (you can see all the styles on the Card Concept's blog); we can't wait to see what you create!  Thanks for visiting today!

A little arcade game action!

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God and there is no other; I am God and there is none like me.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." Isaiah 46:9-10

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Nature Walk (ret), French Foliage (ret), Mini Tag Sentiments (Our Daily Bread Designs), Free Hand Florals (W+9)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Farm Sweet Farm DSP (Prima)
Ink	Stazon Black, Sahara Sand, Blushing Bride, Craft White
Accessories	Black & White Gingham Ribbon, White Embossing Powder
Tools	Big Shot, Circle Dies (ret), Stylish Shapes Dies, Birds & Blooms Dies (ret), Free Hand Floral Dies (W+9)

TCC173 Easter Plaid

Happy Wednesday, peeps!  Time for a new Card Concept challenge, where we create a card with a certain concept!  Here's the sweet prompt that Julie has for us this week:

What a sweet little vignette! I recently got a little tray like this (mine is white, though) and I have it decorated for Easter too!  But I was mostly inspired by the plaid bunny on the top shelf, in addition to the little plaque, so I used those elements for my clean and layered card today:

I had some pretty papers from Carta Bella called Home Again, and so I chose a few coordinating papers, an older set of stitched bunny dies from Lil'Inker, and went to work!  I diecut each bunny and layered them on Stitched Shapes circles, then added Crumb Cake bows to coordinate with the sentiment panel:

I created an embossed background my stamping a background stamp in Versamark ink and embossing it with white embossing powder, then I added a couple of banners and another bow at the top.  If you look closely, you can see the embossed leafy image:

Everything went on a Crumb Cake mat, then a Lost Lagoon card, and I stamped a simple sentiment on another piece of the designer paper and adhered it to the inside:

I am sad Lil'Inkers went out of business, because they really had some cute dies!  These will be in stash forever too!  

I hope you'll play along with our pretty little Easter Blessings challenge!  Check out what "concept" or style you'd like to use on the Card Concept blog, then play along!  Thanks for popping in today!  

Speaking of bunnies, here's a little cross stitch project I recently finished; from the photo, it looks like my button is a wee bit off-center, so I guess I'll have to fix that!  I didn't have any wooden beads for my dowel, so I used some vintage wooden spools for the ends!  Trying to use up some of my craft stash!

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Mini Tag Sentiments (Our Daily Bread Designs), Spring Blessings (W+9), Leaf Background (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Lost Lagoon (ret), Crumb Cake, Home Again DSP (Carta Bella)
Ink	Lost Lagoon, Versamark
Accessories	Dimensionals, White Embossing Powder (Stampendous)
Tools	Big Shot, Tasteful Labels Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies (ret), Stitched Bunny Dies (Lil'Inker, ret), Heat Tool

TCC172 Spring Boots

Hi stampers!  Time for a new Card Concept challenge, where we describe the concept we use to create our cards!  Here's the pretty prompt for this week's challenge:

What a pretty spring vignette!  I was enamored by those pretty boots, so here's my Clean-and-Layered card for today:

Truthfully, I had this card started with something else in mind, but when I saw the challenge photo, I changed it up a bit!  The boots were stamped in Petal Pink on some rosebud paper from BoBunny's Pincushion collection.  They are so cute, I wish I had a pair just like it!

I stamped, colored and diecut the other elements of the card:  watering can, flower pot and tulips....then layered them on a piece of Basic White cut with the Scalloped Contours dies.  I also stamped the little seed packet with Versamark ink on the Calypso Coral card base, then heat-embossed it with clear embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Best Year!  

I also added a little bit more color on the flowers with my watercolor pencils!  This is certainly a bright card...hopefully it will cheer up the recipient!  And hopefully you'll be able to play along with us as well!  Be sure to tell us what your "concept" is (you can see the details on the Card Concept blog) as well!  Thanks for visiting today!

The drama continues....this silly pup!

She is bound and determined to stay in that wee little bed!!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

"The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he see that his day is coming."  Psalm 37:12-13

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Flowering Rain Boots, Best Year
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Calypso Coral, Pincushion (BoBunny)
Ink	Versamark, Smoky Slate, Pear Pizzazz, Calypso Coral, Cajun Craze
Accessories	Dimensionals, Clear Embossing Powder
Tools	Big Shot, Rain Boots Dies, Scalloped Contours Dies, Heat Tool, Watercolor Pencils