New TSOL!

This saying is true on a "normal" morning, but especially after losing an hour's sleep for the change to Daylight Savings Time!  I think I'm gonna need an extra cup just to overcome the urge to stay in bed since it is so dark at this hour now!  ;)  Do I hear an "Amen!" on this early Sunday morning?

My card for today is made using a brand new set  being released to the public today from The {Stamps} of Life, called humor4women (club members get it a few days early!).   Don't you think this clock-face paper (some scraps from Cosmo Cricket's Joy Ride, which I love!) is just perfect for today?  I added some paper-pieced coffee cups and a sentiment from coffee4two to carry the theme throughout...it came out kinda fun!

Since this paper is from an older pack that has been in my stash for quite a while, and the coffee cup stamp was released back in February of last year, I'm submitting this card for Andrea's Spring Cleaning VSN challenge.

Hahaha...maybe I should give this one to my husband since this time-change usually takes me a day or two to adjust!  ;)

Notes:
humor4women, coffee4two
Memento ink
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink
Copic markers (I just ordered a boatload of refills! :) )
Cosmo Cricket designer paper

Have a blessed Sunday! (I think I see a nap in my future!)

Virtual Stamp Night!

Did you "attend" Virtual Stamp Night on SCS last night?  I thought I would be able to visit the VSN forum early, then sing in the first of two Orange Park Chorale concerts this weekend, then VSN some more after our performance, but things didn't turn out as planned!  Thankfully, Plan B was all good too!

The card I'm sharing today is for Carole's challenge, It's a Marshmallow World!  She asked us to make an all white card with something sparkly...only the image itself could be colorful.  I made a Christmas snow globe with lots of shine, sparkle, texture and dimension.  Flower Soft's colorfully printed paper-crafting kit and ready-to-assemble aperture cards make it fast and easy!

Notes:
Christmas Snow Globe papercrafting kit
Oval Aperture cards and envelopes
Display globe
Nestabilities classic ovals
Silver peel-off stickers
Polar White Flower Soft
Clear self-adhesive rhinestones
dimensional adhesive dots
Sheer twinkle ribbon

Cuttlebug embossing folders (dots, snowflake strip)

additional white card stock

EK border punch

There's a Little More Time!

You still have a few more hours to submit cards for this weekend's Virtual Stamp Night at Splitcoaststampers.  Honors recognition will be given for projects submitted by 8 p.m. EST tonight, and then another recognition will be given from "late submissions" from those affected by Hurricane Irene for whom the submissions deadline is Friday, September 2nd, at 8 p.m. EST.

I have two more Our Craft Lounge VSN projects to share today!  The first is a simple masculine card made for Lori's "Dusty Blues" VSN color challenge.  

Notes:

Our Craft Lounge Under Lock and Key

Basic Grey Capella designer paper

Memento Rich Cocoa ink

Ranger tea-dye distress ink

Copic markers

Nestabilities classic squares

May Arts burlap string

SEI button

Next up is e-i-e-i-Hello, made with a chick from the set by that name for Michelle's Party at the Ranch challenge.

Notes:
Our Craft Lounge e-i-e-i-Hello!, Shout it Out (comment shape)
Authentique designer paper
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
May Arts polka dot ribbon
Sparkly Fluff

Most of the supplies for both of these cards came from i {heart} papers.

Wanted!

It is Virtual Stamp Night (weekend) at Splitcoaststampers, and in a couple of hours I'll be posting my very own challenge...for now I'm sharing a couple of cards made for some of last night's Rodeo!  Both cards use Our Craft Lounge's set, Wanted!, and fibers from May Arts.  I also used some Basic Grey designer paper and Copic markers from i {heart} papers.

I hope you'll join us!

VSN Cards

We've been visiting in Louisiana for a little over a week...since my dad is nearly homebound, I brought a stash of stamping supplies to play with while we sit and chat and enjoy each other's company.  Mom is a crafter at heart, so she has been content to watch and help with some of the decision-making.  It was fun to play a few VSN challenges over the weekend.

My first card was made for Beate's color challenge:  aqua, kraft, and light green.  This BoBunny designer paper had those colors along with some beautiful blush.  I opted for an image from Lizzie Anne Designs and added a few hand-rolled roses to a crocheted flower and button.

This card was for Amber's ARRR challenge.  My r's included some rainbow Echo Park paper, a cute little Lawn Fawn raft, some glimmer ribbon and a round button tied with twine.  This sketch is Fall-to-Layout #141.  

Here's my card for Stephanie's hidden treasure challenge.  This is a soda shop image from the {stamps} of Life, stamped with Memento ink and paper pieced from some Echo Park paper with a big button cherry on top.

Notes:
Happy Spring card
Lizzie Anne Designs Follow Your Dreams
BoBunny designer paper
Nestabilities Labels 14
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Copic markers
Kaiser Craft crocheted flower, lace
silk ribbon scrap for "leaves"
button
jute thread


Have Fun card
Lawn Fawn Swimsuit Season
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Echo Park Summer Days designer paper
glimmer ribbon
scallop edge punch
button
twine


Ice Cream card
the {stamps} of Life scream4icecream and cone2dish
Echo Park Summer Days designer paper
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers (shading only)
brad
button
twine

i {heart} Candy Canes!

Here's another card made using a new set from the {stamps} of Life, Christmas2build.  Although I actually made it last week for the set's release, this card fits Kelly's Mini Virtual Stamp Night challenge, inspired by Cloud 9.  It was stamped with Memento ink, and colored with Copic markers.  I love all that clean, fresh, bright white space!  This is one of my favorite color schemes.  :)

VSN meets 2RB

I have a love-hate relationship with VSN! It is a huge challenge for me to finish a card in 45 minutes. Quick, but not dull and boring...that's the dilemma! My first VSN I wanted to throw away most of my cards. I really do think it helps my creativity to just jump right in and play along. Experience and practice should continually make things a little better! I'm hopefully improving at stamping under pressure, so that even under every-day circumstances when I'm short on time, I can come up with something I would be proud to send.

When I saw last night's challenge for a non-traditional wedding card, there was NO question which set to use! I recently received some new sets from 2RedBananas, and this blushing flamingo bride was among them! She is just perfect for this challenge! I stamped her using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored her with prismas and gamsol, then gave her veil, bodice and shoes a little dusting of pink Sparkly Fluff. If I had a few black jewels, I would add them under the sentiment...a layered bow of satin and organza with a bright button accent and voila`! She is ready to go to the Vegas chapel to marry her groom.

This little tent topper would be just the right size to tuck in a little giftcard for the new couple to take on their honeymoon. I think it would also make a fun funky card to include with something slinky and sexy for a close girlfriend too! Bet that would bring lots of laughs!

Woven Ribbons

I am still working on finishing up my VSN cards. Did you get a chance to play along? I did't get to finish as many challenges as I'd hoped, but it isn't over yet!

This is my card for the Weave, Weave, Weave challenge. I just love pink and black together, and am happy with the outcome of this simple layout. I think it would make a nice card for just about any feminine occasion, including encouragement for a friend with breast cancer.

The stamp set, Many Hearts, and beautiful pink satin ribbon are available at i {heart} papers.

Make sure you come back to visit tomorrow! It'll be worth your while! ;)

Velvet Bubs!

Bubs the Beaver is one of my favorite sets as of late! When I saw the Love Me Tender challenge I immediately thought of him and the Caramel Latte Fun Flock I purchased a few months ago. I had to draw in some of his facial features after applying the flocking...that was the hardest part of this challenge! I colored the rest of the image in w/ my precious few copic markers, which I am in love with! The papers I used are part of the Irresistable collection from MME. That fabulous faux suede ribbon also qualifies for something soft in this challenge...I layered on a scrap of ric rac and topped it with a flower punched with my new SU hearts punch in Ruby Red and Blush Blossom.

Always

The Burned Batik technique (for the VSN Challenge, Hunk of Burning Love) was a new one for me! I would like to try it again when I have more options in colors of ink! The stamp set I used is called Always Heart, a Hero Arts set from i {heart} papers. After stamping in Versamark and embossing with a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of clear EP and Iridescent Ice, I sponged on Elegant Eggplant and Real Red craft inks, then dabbed on some metallic pastes in gold, bronze, and burgundy for some shimmer, which of course, doesn't show up in this picture. These ribbons are from a stash from years of crafting (I'm grateful to say the pile is diminishing!) and the beads on the heart pin were some left over from confirmation class two years ago when the two girls I mentored made beaded bookmarks. A simple layout...it is hard to do much in 45 minutes when you're focusing on a new technique!

It's VSN!

Last night was a little teaser for tonight, which is Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast Stampers. The challenge was to make a scrapling, which is a very small strip of a card made from the remnant left when you cut a 4.25 x 5.5 inch card down to 4.25 inch square. I had never made one before, but I had so much fun making this one! I used scraps of Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red for the card base, and added a piece of Raspberry Tart designer paper torn in half with distressed edges. The image, from the set A Little Something, was colored with markers directly to the stamp...a flower made from the five-petal punch, the boho blossoms punch, and a button tied with white cording finished it off along with a row of brads for balance. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. What do you think?!

VSN begins today at noon EST. I hope to play along and will be adding projects to my blog as the day progresses. Hope you play along 'cause it's gonna be fun!