Shine

***Scroll down to the post below to see this week's Color Throwdown challenge!***

It was a dreary, rainy day here, so it was nice to stamp something bright and cheery when I got home from work today! I made this quick card based on today's SCS sketch challenge.

I used Papertrey Ink's Lighten Up set for my focal image. The lamp was die cut from cardstock scraps. The shade's stamped with a large floral pattern, but the tone on tone colors didn't show well in the photo. It's attached to the white panel with foam tape. I stamped the set's "Shine! It's your day," sentiment next to the lamp image in turquoise ink.

I picked a bold and bright chevron pattern from the Funky Town papers for the four panels on the cardfront. After arranging them on the cardfront, I attached the image panel on top. To complete the visual triangle on the image panel, I added a pink button, tied with matching baker's twine.

Materials Used:
Lighten Up stamp set, Hawaiian Shores and Raspberry Fizz inks, Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, and Kraft cardstock, Funky Town patterned paper, Lighten Up dies, Hibiscus Burst button (Papertrey Ink); Whisper White cardstock (Stampin' Up!); circle dies (Spellbinders); baker's twine (The Twinery); foam tape

Color Throwdown 181-A Little Birdie Told Me

It’s time for another Color Throwdown! This week, Lynn’s brought us a pretty color combination to try—Blushing Bride, Pretty in Pink, Ruby Red, and Certainly Celery. When I saw the colors, flowers came to mind first, but I challenged myself to come up with something else and I did!

I used one of the sweet Pure Innocence girlies from My Favorite Things, coloring her with Copic markers to match the challenge colors. The image is cut out and placed on an oval panel with a grassy border along the bottom.

I found a piece of patterned paper with all of the challenge colors in a new Echo Park paper pad and used that for the large panel on my cardfront. I machine stitched around the panel’s edges for a finished look. The set’s “a little birdie told me” sentiment is stamped at the bottom of the Ruby Red panel that runs across the cardfront. I added a strip of pink grosgrain ribbon with notched edges to the red panel before layering the image panel on top.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post. As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD181. Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team:

** Barbara ** Broni ** Danielle ** Joan ** Kerri **
** Kristin ** Lynn ** Tammy ** Wanda **
February Guestie Jenny Peterson

Thanks again to this month’s guestie, Jenny Peterson. We’ve loved having her join us and share her creations!

Materials Used:
Pure Innocence You’re So Tweet stamp set (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Ruby Red and Certainly Celery cardstock (Stampin’ Up!) This & That 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); petite oval dies (Spellbinders); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); pink grosgrain ribbon (Morex); sewing machine; foam tape

TCP Tuesday 199-Let's Fly Away

This week's TCP Tuesday challenge comes to us from Susan. Since spring's on its way, she's challenging us to head outdoors by using a stamp that shows some kind of outdoor activity and to use the CutUps Cloud Border die along with that stamp.

I used the flying bunny from the Take Off set for my card along with the sketch from the current Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge--flying's something best done outside, right? My card's done in a classic red and blue color combination, taken right from the dotted and striped designer papers I used on the cardfront. The bunny and plane are colored with Copic markers, with a few silver Smooch accents on the plane. After cutting out the colored image, I used foam tape to attach it to a light blue circle. I cut apart a strip of felt clouds I cut with the CutUps Cloud Border die and attached a few of the individual clouds to the panel. I love that this die gives you the option to do that! Now I have a few extra clouds ready to go on another project. The set's "let's fly away" sentiment is stamped in dark blue ink on the circle panel, curved to match the panel's shape.

Be sure to stop by Alma’s blog for links to projects created by the rest of the Cat Pack based on this week’s challenge. Don’t forget to add your creation to the guestbook found there for a chance to win this week’s Cat Cash prize.

Materials Used:
Take Off stamp set, Neenah white cardstock, CutUps Cloud Border and Big Pinking Border dies (The Cat's Pajamas); Memento Tuxedo Black and Paris Dusk inks (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Night of Navy, Riding Hood Red, and Bashful Blue cardstock (Stampin' Up!); American Made "Petticoat Plaid" designer paper (My Mind's Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); Silver Fox Smooch (Clearsnap); red grosgrain ribbon (Michaels); white felt; foam tape

Birthday Balloons

Here are my cards for the final two Viva la Verve sketches for February. I decided to use the same stamp set and papers for both cards--and since I needed some birthday cards for my stash, I went with Verve's Birthday Bash set.

This card is for week 3's sketch. This is another one of those sketches with lots of tiny strips of paper that are all the same size and supposed to be evenly distributed across the cardfront. I have such a hard time with these! I did a little trial run with some scrap paper before cutting into the striped patterned paper to make sure that I'd get it right on the first try.

Once the paper strips were set in place on the cardfront, the rest of the card came together pretty quickly. I used a piece of coordinating yellow dotted designer paper to make a banner-like strip to run most of the card's length. I stamped the set's balloon pair on a white circle, then added a pair of colored balloons to the panel with foam tape. I used the same red and yellow color combination from the balloon for the round panel underneath the image panel. One of the set's birthday sentiments is stamped on a smaller circle and accented with a tiny piece of knotted red ribbon.

This one is for week 4's sketch, which is also supposed to be a clean and simple design. Between that and using the same stamps and papers as in the first card, this card was done in no time at all.

I used the same balloon pair as the focal image, but this time, I placed the image so that there was room left to stamp the "make a wish" sentiment right on the image panel. I attached the stamped image panel over a strip of yellow dotted cardstock, then added a pair of metal stud embellishments as a finishing touch.

Materials Used:
Birthday Bash stamp set (Verve Stamps); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Poppy Parade cardstock, Real Red grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Harvest Gold cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Hip-Hooray Boy designer papers (My Mind's Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); circle punches (EK Success); metal stud embellishments (Michaels); foam tape

Sending You My Gratitute

Here's my card for this week's SCS clean and simple challenge to use razzleberry and white. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with this color scheme, but once I got an idea, it came together pretty quickly.

I used Papertrey Ink's Mehndi Medallions set to make a pretty stamped panel. I stamped two of the set's medallion images in white ink, then stamped over them in razzleberry ink for a shadowy look. It worked better on some of the images than on others and the lighting in the photo doesn't show it off well, but overall, I'm happy with how the panel turned out.

I layered the stamped panel on a white card base, then added a stamped thank you sentiment from the Sending You set. The sentiment is stamped on a white strip in razzleberry ink. The end of the strip is folded over the cardfront's right edge. I added a knotted piece of matching razzleberry ribbon as an accent.

Materials Used:
Mehndi Medallions and Sending You stamp sets, Fresh Snow ink (Papertrey Ink); white cardstock (Xerox); Rich Razzleberry Classic ink, Rich Razzleberry cardstock, Rich Razzleberry dotted grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!)

Happy Bee-Day

This week’s CAS-ual Fridays challenge is to make a clean and simple punny card. Lots of the sentiments from the Little Critters collection from Clear and Simple Stamps are perfect for this challenge (as are many of the sentiments from the upcoming release, but I can’t share those just yet . . .).

I made this simple almost single layer birthday card for the challenge using this week’s Clean and Simple Stamping sketch. It features the bee image from the Taglines: Critters set. The bee is colored with Copic markers and attached to the cardfront with foam tape. The wings are coated with super sparkly glitter for a festive touch. To add some movement to the design, I stamped a dotted trail extending out from behind the bee image.

The "happy bee-day" sentiment, created by combining bits and pieces from the Little Critters Too and Critters Sentiments sets, is stamped next to the bee's trail in black ink. I filled in the open letters using several shades of blue-green Copic markers, starting with the darkest color at the bottom of the letter and flicking the marker's tip upwards to add color, then moving on to lighter and lighter shades. The shading adds just a little interest to the letters without taking the focus off the bee.

Materials Used:
Taglines: Critters, Little Critters Too, and Critters Sentiments stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Trendsetter Blue and A Blanc Check cardstock, Copic markers-Y11, Y13, Y18, BG000, BG10, BG11 (Clear and Simple Stamps); Dazzling Diamonds (Stampin’ Up!); foam tape

Welcome Baby

Here's my card for this week's SCS sketch challenge. My friend asked me to make a donation of a few baby-themed cards to go in a basket to be auctioned at an upcoming fundraiser, so when I saw this sweet baby card, I decided I'd make my own version to go into the pile that's headed for the basket.

I used the same layout and colors--and even some of the same designer paper--on my card, but made a few changes to make the design my own. Instead of using a pair of paper pieced onesies for the focal image, I used just one. The onesie is from Our Craft Lounge's Bundle of Joy set. It's paper pieced from a purple dotted paper scrap and the heart on the onesie is colored with a darker purple Copic marker. I used foam tape to attach it to the oval panel and added the stamped "welcome baby" sentiment beneath it in light purple ink.

Instead of using a dot embossed panel to cover most of the cardfront, I used a piece of green plaid patterned paper. I used the same text patterned paper for the panel at the center of the cardfront, edging it with pale purple cardstock strips to set it off from the green plaid. The panel's accented with a small celery grosgrain bow with a matching button at the center.

Materials Used:
Bundle of Joy stamp set (Our Craft Lounge); Memento Tuxedo Black and Lulu Lavender inks (Tsukineko); V28 marker (Copic); Certainly Celery and Whisper White cardstock, Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon (Stampin' Up!); Lovely Lavender cardstock (Gina K Designs); Nana's Nursery-Baby Boy designer papers (DCWV); petite oval and petite scalloped oval dies (Spellbinders); olive baker's twine (Timeless Twine) green button; foam tape

Market Street Stamps February Block Party

Here's my card for this month's Market Street Stamps Block Party. I've had this sweet It Takes Love set for a while now, but hadn't inked it up, so I pulled it out for my party creation.

I made a recessed window to highlight the image. The image inside the window is stamped in brown and red ink--love how those Memento dew drop pads make it so easy to ink a stamp in two colors! The image is framed by a red circle that's set on the back of the kraft panel that covers most of the cardfront. To add interest and texture, the kraft panel is stamped with the Bit of Burlap background stamp in brown ink, stamped off once to get a lighter look. The panel's edges are inked with a little distress ink, too. I used a bunch of foam tape to attach the panel to the cream card base, centering the opening over the stamped image.

I added a notch edged strip across the kraft panel and added the set's sentiment at the end of the strip. A tiny red button, tied up with kraft baker's twine, makes a nice accent and adds a third circle element to the design.

Materials Used:
It Takes Love and Bit of Burlap stamp sets (Market Street Stamps); Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Memento Rich Cocoa and Rhubarb Stalk inks (Tsukineko); Frayed Burlap distress ink (Ranger); circle dies (Spellbinders); circle punches (EK Success); kraft baker's twine (Timeless Twine); red button (Michaels); foam tape

Papertrey Ink February Blog Hop

The theme for this month’s Papertrey Ink blog hop is interactive cards. I’ve made a bunch of different kinds of interactive cards over the years—from waterfall cards to slider cards to pop up cards—and they’re always fun to present to a recipient. Today, I made a simple one where the focal image wobbles thanks to a tiny spring-like mechanism that was a new product introduced at this year’s Craft and Hobby Association winter trade show.

I decided to make the frog from the Boy Basics: Frog Hop set my wobbly image. I die cut the frog from white cardstock and stamped the matching outline image on the die cut, then colored it with Copic markers.

I made a simple scene for the frog using a piece of dotted paper for the sky and a strip of solid aqua cardstock for water. To give the water a liquid-like appearance, I covered the aqua strip with a piece of acetate recycled from PTI stamp packaging sheets. The die cut dotted lily pad conveniently hides the adhesive I used to hold the acetate in place. After peeling off the cover on the spring’s adhesive and attaching the spring to the back of the image, I attached the other side to the cardfront so that the frog appears to "sit" on the lily pad. When poked with a finger, the frog wobbles from side to side--too fun! I'm definitely not done playing with these springs. I'm hoping to have a little video of one of the springs in action to share next week . . .

Materials Used:
Boy Basics: Frog Hop stamp set, Hawaiian Shores ink, Aqua Mist, Hawaiian Shores, Spring Moss, and White cardstock, Library Ledger patterned paper, Clouds, Tiny Tags, and Frog Hop dies (Papertrey Ink); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Campfire designer paper (October Afternoon); baker's twine (The Twinery); white felt; wobble spring

Rock Star

Here’s my card for this week’s My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge. For this one, I inked up my new a la modes Rock Star set, pairing her with some funky patterned papers and a star border.

The image is colored with Copic markers and cut out, then set on a circle panel using foam tape. I left room on the right side of the panel to add a trio of glittery star embellishments--perfect for a rock star themed card!

I used a piece of dotted patterned paper for the panel that runs across the cardfront. The patterned paper strip is edged with a yellow border that I created with a Martha Stewart star punch. I stamped the set’s “Rock Star” sentiment on one of MFT’s mini tab dies and slipped the bottom of the tab under the top edge of the patterned paper strip. I think this one's perfect for a teenaged girl!

Materials Used:
a la modes Rock Star stamp set, Die-namics mini tab die (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Poppy Parade, Daffodil Delight, and Bermuda Bay cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Hip-Hooray "Boy" Surprise designer paper (My Mind’s Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); Classic Stars border punch (Martha Stewart); glittered chipboard stars (Recollections); foam tape

When All Else Fails . . .

This week’s Our Craft Lounge challenge is a sketch challenge. The sketch’s large panel was a perfect fit for the fun vintage-styled bathtub image from the Pretty and Pampered set.

The tub is stamped on a white panel and colored with Copic markers. The towel hanging over the tub’s edge is paper pieced with a scrap of striped patterned paper. I added some Glossy Accents and glitter to the bubbles cascading over the tub for a fun sparkle. I hand-drew an oval rug in the open space beneath the tub, outlining the shape with a fine-tipped black pen, then coloring it in with markers. Unfortunately, this is about the extent of my drawing abilities--LOL!

The tub is matted on a piece of rust cardstock, then set on an aqua cardfront covered with a panel of patterned paper with a subtle floral print. I stamped the sentiment on a white strip, then added it to the top of the image panel, accented with a piece of knotted turquoise ribbon.

You can find all the challenge details over on the OCL blog. There's a stamp set up for grabs for a randomly selected participant from this month's challenge entries, so be sure to check it out

Materials Used:
Pretty and Pampered stamp set (Our Craft Lounge); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers and black multiliner pen (Copic); Aqua Mist and Canyon Clay cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Stella & Rose-Mabel 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); Dazzling Diamonds (Stampin’ Up!); Glossy Accents (Ranger); turquoise ribbon (Target)

Blogger Challenge: Week 244

This week’s blogger challenge is a color challenge—black, white, and red. Initially, I was thinking about love-themed designs, but in the end, I went an entirely different direction. I guess I’m a little burned out from Valentine’s Day! I used one of the penguin sets from The Cat’s Pajamas along with this week’s Mojo Monday sketch for my encouraging card.

I stamped the kite-flying penguin from the Up, Up & Away set in black ink, then heat embossed it for a shiny look. The image is colored with Copic markers, then cut out using the out of the box technique so that the penguin’s kite extends beyond the top edge of the image panel. The image is layered on a red panel, then set on a large black panel. I wrapped some black baker’s twine around open space at the right side of the panel, then set the “fly high” sentiment over both the image panel and the twine.

I used strips of red dotted patterned paper as a background. To get the size of the panels figured out, I tested the width out on some scrap paper first—figuring out strips in layouts like these is always a challenge for me! The scraps are lined up on a piece of black cardstock that’s set on a white card base. Once I had everything arranged nicely, I added the image panel on top.

For more projects using this classic color scheme, check out the link list below. And, if you’d like to join the challenge, add a direct link to your new project below.

Materials Used:
Up, Up & Away stamp set, Neenah white cardstock, Versafine black ink, Divine Twine black baker’s twine (The Cat’s Pajamas); markers (Copic); Poppy Parade and Basic Black cardstock, clear embossing powder (Stampin’ Up!); Dots & Stripes-Metropolitan Ruby Red Small Dot designer paper (Echo Park)

Roll with It

Here’s my card for this week’s Kraftin’ Kimmie challenge. I decided to rotate the sketch a bit to fit the tall roller skating Roxy image, but other than that, I stuck pretty closely to the layout’s design.

I colored Roxy with Copic markers, adding a hand-drawn sidewalk beneath her to ground the image. After matting the image on a green panel, I set it on a bright striped patterned paper panel, machine stitched around the edges. A solid pink panel runs across the card, between the two layered panels. I added the sentiment across the pink panel and the image panel, using a scrap of the same blue cardstock as I used to cover most of the cardfront.

Instead of using a border punch or ribbon for the scalloped element across the bottom of the card, I pulled out my paper piercing tool and made a simple line of tiny pierced holes. Since I didn’t have much room left to work with, this was a perfect accent. I finished off the design with a pink button, threaded and tied with matching pink baker’s twine.

Materials Used:
Moonlight Whispers Roxy stamp set (Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers, black multiliner (Copic); Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, and Blushing Bride cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Lime Twist-Happy Go Lucky 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); pink button (Making Memories); pink baker’s twine (Divine Twine); sewing machine

You're Lovely

Here’s my card for this week’s Waltzingmouse sketch challenge. I went for an elegant look on this one, but I’m not quite sure I got that in the end.

I used the dress form image from the You're Lovely set as my focal image on the long panel on the left side of the card. The dress form was stamped on pink cardstock and shaded a bit with Copic markers, then cut out. A little glitter runs along the bottom edge of the dress form for a touch of sparkle. I used foam tape to attach it to a kraft panel. The set’s “you’re lovely” sentiment was stamped at the bottom of the panel.

I layered the image panel on a piece of rose paper with a simple grid pattern. For the trio of accents along the right side of the card, I used three pieces of large shimmery cream floral confetti that I’ve had in my stash forever. Each flower has a single self-adhesive pearl at the center. It was nice to finally find a use for even just a few of these flowers!

Materials Used:
You're Lovely stamp set (Waltzingmouse Stamps); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Blushing Bride and Crumb Cake cardstock, Dazzling Diamonds (Stampin' Up!); Daydreams-Blissful Day designer paper (American Crafts); self-adhesive pearls (Recollections); flower confetti (Gartner Studios); foam tape

Color Throwdown 180-Sing Out

It’s time for another Color Throwdown! This week, it’s my turn to host the challenge and I went with a fun color palette inspired by some bedding I found on the Land of Nod website (Crate & Barrel's child-friendly division)--Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Barely Banana, and Basic Gray.

I used Jen’s February Sketch for You to Try as the basis for my card. I went with a musical theme, just like in the color inspiration photo, and used the guitar image from the Hippie Chic set from Market Street Stamps for my focal image. The guitar’s colored with Copic markers and cut out, then set on a white panel with dimensional dots. I stamped one of the set’s music-themed sentiments next to the guitar in gray ink.

The guitar’s set on a light blue star-patterned paper panel. I accented the gray strip along the left side of the patterned paper panel with a trio of small stars punched out of a scrap of pale yellow cardstock.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post. As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD180. Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team:

** Barbara ** Broni ** Danielle ** Joan ** Kerri **
** Keva ** Kristin ** Lynn ** Tammy ** Wanda **
February Guestie Jenny Peterson

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Market Street Stamps Hippie Chic stamp set, X-Press white Copic blending cardstock, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black and London Fog inks, Copic markers (YR12, YR15, YR16, Y35, E31, E33, C-5), My Mind’s Eye Blink of an Eye 6x6 paper pad, Spellbinders circle dies, Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

other: Barely Banana, Basic Gray, and Pumpkin Pie cardstock, small star punch (Stampin’ Up!)

Talking Trends with the IHP DT

Walking the floor of the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Trade Show is always an adventure! What could possibly be more exciting than getting to see three huge showrooms of brand new products that you can hardly wait to get your hands on? Only one thing: getting to share that experience with your girlfriends!

From the very beginning, the i {heart} papers team has had strong ties to Paper Craft Planet. Our mutual love of paper and paper-crafting was the foundation for our friendship, and CHA has given us the opportunity to meet face-to-face and translate those online friendships into real life. It's so much more fun in person than it is on screen!

As we walked the CHA floor we were drawn to certain products and projects...when we discussed them over dinner we discovered some emerging trends. That's what today's challenge is all about.

Of course, not everyone can attend CHA. We were quite sorely missing some of our team mates...and the general public is not eligible to attend. Thankfully, those of you who couldn't be there can live vicariously through the next best thing: photos! Check out these in this post from Susanna, and several posts from MoxieFab!

One of the big trends we noticed at the Winter Craft and Hobby Association trade show was pinwheels. It’s super easy to create your own in no time at all and I did just that for the challenge. My pinwheel’s made from a 6” square piece of Echo Park designer paper. I chose the paper carefully, making sure to pick a piece with patterns on both sides that would look nice on my finished pinwheel. After securing the folded pieces with a brad, I added a big button to the center, tied with a little orange baker’s twine.

The pinwheel is attached to a clear tube (you might remember I used a similar tube to make a magic wand for our DT challenge a few months back). After filling the tube with brightly colored gumballs, I attached the pinwheel to the top of the tube and closed it. I made a little tag to attach to the tube using a sentiment from the Paper Smooches Eco Friendly set, arriving soon at IHP.

Be sure to check out the trends that are being showcased by the rest of the IHP DT and the PCP Super Novas. Here’s where to find them:

• Carolyn
• Deb
• Gretchen
• Loretta
• Lori--you're here!
• Lynn
• Tracy
• Kate

and our guests from PCP:

• Adela Rossol
• Lisa Somerville
• Lyn Bernatovich
• Susanna Boyd
• Taylor Usry
• Wendy Price

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Echo Park Country Lane Collection Kit, Divine Twine orange baker’s twine, SRM Stickers plastic magic wand tube, Spellbinders circle dies, Paper Smooches Eco Friendly stamp set, Tsukineko Memento Tangelo and London Fog inks

other: Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin' Up!); pink button (Michaels)

TCP Tuesday 198-Feeling a Bit Peckish?

It’s my turn to host the TCP Tuesday challenge and this for week’s color challenge, I’ve brought you a super soft mix of pastel colors that are perfect for a springtime (or wishing for springtime!) creation. Check out that yummy combination of soft pink, aqua, and mossy green!

I used the Warm Fuzzies set from the last release for my card. I used a combination of paper piecing and coloring on my girlie image, mixing and matching solids, spots, and stripes for a fun look.

I attached a piece of pink patterned paper to an aqua card base to make a background for the girlie. The panel’s edged along the right side with a light scalloped border cut with the CutUps Queen of Hearts border die. A delicate paper doily peeks out from underneath the opposite side of the panel. After wrapping a strip of pink cardstock with a little pink baker’s twine and attaching that over the card, I added the girlie using foam tape. The set’s “feeling a little peckish?” sentiment is stamped on the pink strip just above the twine.

I hope you’ll play along with this week’s challenge for your chance to win some Cat Cash. Just upload your project to the photo album on Alma’s blog to enter—and be sure to keep an eye out for the links to the rest of the Cat Pack’s projects that she’ll be posting throughout the week.

Materials Used:
Warm Fuzzies stamp set, CutUps Queen of Hearts border die, Divine Twine pink baker’s twine (The Cat's Pajamas); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, and Sweet Blush cardstock (Papertrey Ink); markers (Copic); Vintage Vogue papers (Pink Paislee); Handmade-Sky Blue designer paper (Lily Bee Design); paper doily (Wilton); foam tape

You Made My Day a Little Bit Brighter

Here's my card for both today's SCS clean and simple challenge to use stitching (real or faux) and yesterday's featured stamper challenge. I've "known" Becky for a long time so I didn't want to miss out on casing a project from her gallery!

I based my card on this one with a sun as the focal image. For my design, instead of using a stamped sun, I created my own with a pinking edged circle as the base, topped with a pair of dot embossed circles. The top circle is folded and attached to the piece with a strip of ScorTape at the center for a dimensional look.

I set the sun on a kraft card base with a strip of plaid patterned paper along the right side. I machine stitched along the right side of the patterned paper strip--it's hard to see in the photo, but it's there. I chose a zig zag stitch to match the pinked edge of the sun. One of the cheery sentiments from the set from Lil' Inker Designs is stamped on a bright pink strip and slipped under the edge of the sun. Instead of using a trio of dew drops as an accent around the top part of the sun, I die cut a pair of felt clouds and attached them to the card at the top of the sun.

Materials Used:
Rainbows and Clouds stamp and die set (Lil' Inker Designs); Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, and Melon Mambo cardstock, scallop edge border punch (Stampin' Up!); designer paper (October Afternoon); circle punch (EK Success); pinking circle die (Spellbinders); white felt; sewing machine; foam tape

Happy B-earth Day

Here's my card for this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge to make a party card with ribbon. I used one of the images from the Paper Smooches Birthday Buddies set along with one of the set's punny sentiments on my clean and simple design.

I built the card on a light blue card base. A kraft oval is attached near the bottom of the cardfront to serve as a hole for the little gopher/groundhog/whatever to pop out of. The critter image is stamped on white cardstock and colored with Copic markers, then cut out and attached to the card with dimensional dots. I inked the "happy b-earth day" sentiment in Bahama Blue ink, arranging the words to fit the space above the image.

For my ribbon element, I used some striped fabric tape strips, cut to different lengths. The tape pieces are attached at the left side of the card and accented with a pair of matching buttons. To keep the buttons lying flat, instead of using twine or thread through the buttonholes, I drew on a faux thread with a white gel pen--one of my favorite card making "cheats!"

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Paper Smooches Birthday Buddies stamp set, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black and Bahama Blue inks, X-Press white Copic blending cardstock, Copic markers (E31, E33, E35, E37, B00, B02, B05, R20), Spellbinders petite oval dies, Love My Tapes light brown/beigh striped fabric tape, Ranger Inkssentials white pen, Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

other: Soft Sky and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!)

Purr-fect in Every Way

Here's one more sweet project using stamps and coordinating dies from the Little Critters collection from Clear and Simple Stamps. I decided to try the stamps and dies on fabric to create an adorable baby bib.

I started out by ironing some heat and bond fusing to the back of a piece of pink and white gingham fabric. After cutting out the cat shape with a die and stamping the coordinating image on the fabric in black ink, I ironed it on to a white cotton bib. The "purr-fect in every way" sentiment is stamped underneath the ironed on image in Paint the Town Pink inks. CSS's inks are a hybrid formula that works beautifully on fabrics without feathering. I could see making a whole set of these bibs using all of the Little Critters characters . . .

Materials Used:
Little Critters stamp set, Little Critters die, Perfect Little Black Dress and Paint the Town Pink inks; white cotton baby bib; Heat & Bond

Love You

Here’s my card for the current Paper Smooches Sparks inspiration challenge. I was inspired by both the heart shape and the canvas texture in the inspiration photo.

My card is a very simple design with the fabric (here, felt) heart taking center stage, just like in the inspiration photo. I used a felt heart with red stitching around the edges and set it on a red cardstock strip machine stitched (excuse my uneven stitching—my machine has issues with zig zag stitching . . .) to a kraft card base.

A piece of striped canvas fabric tape extends out from underneath the heart, bringing in the photo’s canvas-like texture. I experimented a little before putting the card together and found that yes, you can stamp on the tape with dye ink, so I did that for my card. The “love you,” made by combining words from two different sentiments in the Smoocheroos set, is stamped on the striped tape in red ink. I love fun discoveries like that!

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Paper Smooches Smoocheroos stamp set, Love My Tapes light brown/beige fabric tape, Tsukineko Memento Lady Bug ink

other: Real Red and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); stitched felt heart (Martha Stewart); sewing machine

Let's Do Coffee

This week’s Our Craft Lounge challenge is ruffles. I’ve had this pretty aqua ribbon with a ruffled edge in my stash for a while now and I was glad to have an excuse to put it to use in this challenge!

My card uses one of the coffee pot images from the Fueled by Caffeine set as the focal image. I stamped the pot in gray ink for a metal-like look, then colored it with blue-green Copic markers. After cutting it out, I placed it on an aqua panel, backed with a pretty doily die cut. The set’s “let’s do coffee” sentiment is stamped next to it, also in gray ink. After attaching the panels to a piece of coordinating patterned paper, I stretched a piece of that pretty aqua ribbon beneath the sentiment, anchoring it near the left side with a button.

I’m looking forward to spending today at an intermediate level Copic certification class in Richmond, VA. Hopefully I’ll come away from the day with much improved coloring skills . . .

Materials Used:
Fueled by Caffeine stamp set (Our Craft Lounge); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento London Fog ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Aqua Mist cardstock, Doily Details die (Papertrey Ink); Moonlit Fog cardstock (Gina K Designs); Fine & Dandy-True Blue 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); button (Clear and Simple Stamps); linen thread (The Cat’s Pajamas); aqua ruffle-edged faux suede ribbon (Hobby Lobby); foam tape

You Blow Me Away

Here’s my card for this week’s My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge. This Pure Innocence Blowing Bubbles set just arrived in my mailbox, so I inked it up for the sketch.

The girlie is colored with Copic markers and cut out. I added a little Glossy Accents over the center of the bubble wand in her hand for a liquid-like look. She’s set on an aqua panel with a “grass” bottom using foam tape. I added a few more Glossy Accent-ed bubbles behind her for fun.

I made the panels for the cardfront using both patterns from a piece of double-sided patterned paper. Each panel is layered on a coordinating solid cardstock and I machine stitched around the gingham patterned paper for a little extra detail—the wider border on this panel seemed to need a little something else. After setting the pieces in place on a green card base, I added the set’s “you blow me away” sentiment to the cardfront on a notch edged panel that extends just beyond the card's right edge.

Materials Used:
Pure Innocence Blowing Bubbles stamp set (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Aqua Mist, Simply Chartreuse, and Harvest Gold cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Stella & Rose-Gertie "Friends Forever" Tapestry patterned paper (My Mind’s Eye); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); Glossy Accents (Ranger); sewing machine; foam tape

Waltzingmouse Stamps February Blog Party

I'm joining in on this month's Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party using this week's Waltzingmouse sketch challenge. I came up with a fun springtime themed card--just in time for the first "significant" snowfall of the winter season to arrive in the DC area! We'll see if that prediction comes true on Sunday . . .

In keeping with the blog hop’s springtime theme, I used one of the chick images from the Lil Buddies set for my card. Nothing says spring like new farmyard babies, right? My chick’s colored with Copic markers and cut out, then set on a little gingham/grass border strip backdrop with some foam tape. I added a felt cloud and button sun to complete the springy scene.

I went with a bright, cheery color scheme for the rest of the card. The cardfront is covered with a yellow and cream print cardstock. I used a coordinating solid cardstock strip across the center of the card, layering it on a green panel for contrast and adding a pair of shiny silver brads at each side as an accent. The gingham panel is layered on an aqua mat, then set at the cardfront on an angle. It’s topped with a matching satin bow. The set’s “so clucky to have you” sentiment is stamped at the bottom of the card in black ink. Love the mix of fonts in the sentiments in this set!

Materials Used:
Lil Buddies stamp set (Waltzingmouse Stamps); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Summer Sun and Kiwi Kiss cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Aqua Mist cardstock, cloud die, Lemon Tart button (Papertrey Ink); Fly a Kite 8x8 paper pad (October Afternoon); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); silver brads (Recollections); blue satin ribbon (Target); white felt; Bow Easy; foam tape

Blogger Challenge: Week 243

This week’s blogger challenge theme is the seashore. As I was thinking about this challenge, I realized I don’t have many stamps that fit this theme! I ended up going with sea life, using the fun whale image from the Whale of a Time stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas for my card.

My card is based on this week’s Mojo Monday sketch. I paper pieced the whale using a blue on blue paper with a wavy line pattern, omitting the whale’s little nautical cap. I set the whale on a circle panel, nested between a pair of CutUps wave diecuts.

The decorative edged panel that serves as a backdrop for the whale is created from two of the “flap” pieces cut with the CutUps gift card envie die—love how you can use this die for multiple purposes! A strip of blue paper runs between the two panels. The set’s “ahoy there” sentiment is stamped on a piece of patterned paper that coordinates nicely with the rest of the card’s colors. I mentioned earlier in my post that when I stamped the whale image, I omitted its hat. That was because I wanted to add in a crystal flourish behind the whale and didn’t want the hat to hide the pretty sparkle!

For more seashore themed ideas, check out the link list below. And, if you’d like to join the challenge, add a direct link to your new project below.

Materials Used:
Whale of a Time stamp set, CutUps Wave and Gift Card Envie dies (Our Craft Lounge); Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, and Pumpkin Pie cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); Splash 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); clear crystal flourish (Recollections)

TCPTuesday 197-Pinwheel Mobile

This week’s TCP Tuesday challenge from Julie is an ABC challenge—anything but a card. I used TCP’s CutUps Pinwheel die to create this fun pinwheel mobile that I had a nearly impossible time photographing!

I used the die to cut a bunch of pinwheels from a double sided designer paper and assembled them, varying the folding so that both of the patterns were on the inside of some pinwheels for a varied appearance. The pinwheels are held together by a small silver brad that I covered with a pink button.

To assemble the mobile, I attached lengths of clear fishing line to the back of each pinwheel, looping the line around the brad and knotting it to secure it. For the mobile's frame, I picked up an inexpensive 6” wooden hoop at the craft store and removed the inside hoop, then tied each of the pinwheels to the hoop at varying lengths to add interest (I discarded the outer hoop with the screw closure). I wrapped the wooden hoop with a long piece of coordinating pink grosgrain ribbon. I used the same ribbon to attach a pair of criss-crossed loops that I used to hang the mobile. A pretty ribbon bow where the loops intersect adds one final girly touch to the mobile.

The hanging part was a challenge! I hung the mobile from a cup hook at the top of a window-like opening from my kitchen into my front entry hallway so I could photograph it. This required getting on a step stool and climbing on the island in my kitchen to reach the hook, then taking a clock off of a wall so it wouldn't make an appearance in the photo (and, yes, my kitchen walls are a purplish-gray shade that's not your typical kitchen color!). I took multiple photos from multiple vantage points and still couldn’t get a great one, so this one will have to do . . .

Materials Used:
CutUps Pinwheel die (The Cat’s Pajamas); Hip-Hooray Girl-Happy Day designer paper (My Mind’s Eye); pink grosgrain ribbon, pink buttons (Michaels); silver brads (Recollections); fishing line

Love and Friendship

It's just about mid-way through the month, so I thought I'd get started on this month's Viva la Verve sketches. I have the first two done, so I'm caught up--for now! And, one of these is already out of my house and in the mail, which just might be more impressive than being caught up--LOL!

Here’s my card for February’s first sketch. I used a narrower sized card base than I usually do and that was a challenge for me. For the focal image, I used Verve’s Text Objects set to create a simple watery scene using the set’s little sail boat. The boat’s paper pieced and set on some scalloped blue “water” using foam tape.

I used a blue and white gingham patterned paper for the card’s three panels. Each panel is layered on a kraft mat, then on the light blue panel. The little scene overlaps two of the panels and the third’s filled up with the set’s friendship sentiment. To fill in some of the open space and pull the design together, I added a pair of felt clouds at one side of the scene and a bright red bow at the other.

Materials Used:
Text Objects stamp set (Verve Stamps); Memento Tuxedo Black and Lady Bug inks (Tsukineko); Baja Breeze, Real Red, Pacific Point, Crumb Cake, and Whisper White cardstock, Real Red grosgrain ribbon, scallop edge punch (Stampin’ Up!); Double Dutch-Croquet designer paper (Lily Bee Design); circle dies (Spellbinders); CutUps Cloud Border die (The Cat’s Pajamas); white felt; foam tape

For February’s second sketch, I made a simple, sweet Valentine’s Day card. This one ended up being snagged by one of my colleagues to send to her granddaughter. The texture from the felt heart and the trio of pearls make it a perfect girly card!

I used a pink on pink patterned paper to cover most of the pink cardfront, then machine stitched a pair of pale pink panels to the front. After adding a pair of darker pink notch edged strips across the card, I added the felt heart, cut with Verve’s Jotted Heart die. The “Valentine wishes” sentiment from the Love Notes set is stamped in rose ink on one of the pink strips—the sentiment just fit the width of the strip!

Materials Used:
Love Notes stamp set, Jotted Heart die (Verve Stamps); Regal Rose Classic ink, Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Yours Truly 6x6 paper pad (Echo Park); self-adhesive pearls (Recollections); cream felt (Papertrey Ink); sewing machine

Beary Warm Wishes

Here’s another card using this week’s Color Throwdown colors—Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride, and Crumb Cake. You can see my first card with these colors and find all the challenge info here. This card is based on this week’s SCS sketch challenge. Cocoa Bear from Lil’ Inker Designs (again!) was a perfect fit for the sketch’s large panel.

I colored Cocoa with Copic markers to coordinate with the challenge colors. I added a pale pink outline around the colored image—I think I liked it better before I added the outline, but there was no going back once I got started . . .

The colored panel is layered on a Poppy Parade panel, then on a Crumb Cake card base. I stamped the set’s friendship sentiment on half of a Blushing Bride circle panel and attached the panel to the card, sliding the straight edge underneath the image panel. I accented the panel with a tiny red die cut heart, leftover from the card I posted earlier today, with a piece of knotted red ribbon at the center.

Materials Used:
Cocoa Bear stamp set (Lil’ Inker Designs); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride and Crumb Cake cardstock, Real Red grosgrain ribbon (Stampin’ Up!); circle die (Spellbinders)

Color Throwdown 179-Lots of These

It’s time for another Color Throwdown! This week, Kristin’s brought us a beautiful color combo to try—Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride, and Crumb Cake. I made a sweet love themed card using the colors and a coordinating stamp and die set from Lil’ Inker Designs.

I built the card on a pale pink and cream checked patterned paper. The paper is machine stitched around the edges and set on a matching pink card base. I wrapped a strip of Crumb Cake cardstock around the bottom of the card, adding a decorative scalloped Poppy Parade strip to the bottom for a pop of color.

I die cut a bunch of the perforated edge hearts from pink and red and attached them to the kraft strip, layering the hearts for interest. The “for you, lots of these” sentiment is stamped next to the the hearts in a shiny red ink—it was the closest I could find in my collection to match Poppy Parade. Now that I look at it again, I kind of like the little sparkly touch! A kraft button, tied with a little pink baker’s twine, wraps things up nicely.

To play along, just create a paper crafted project using these colors as a starting point and add a direct link to your finished project using the linky tool found at the end of this week's CTD post. As always, if you don’t have exact color matches, something close works just fine. And, if you upload your project to an online gallery, use the keyword CTD179. Before you get started, here’s some inspiration from the talented Color Throwdown team:

** Barbara ** Broni ** Danielle ** Joan ** Kerri **
** Keva ** Kristin ** Lynn ** Tammy ** Wanda **
February Guestie Jenny Peterson

Materials Used:
Of the Heart stamp and die set (Lil’ Inker Designs); Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade, and Crumb Cake cardstock, scallop edge punch (Stampin’ Up!); Brilliance Rocket Red Gold ink (Tsukineko); Love Me 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); kraft button (Papertrey Ink); pink baker’s twine (Divine Twine); sewing machine

CSS Group Project-Simply Stated

For this month’s group project, the Clear and Simple Stamps design team is sharing card ideas that feature just words or sentiments as the focal image. Since today’s Valentine’s Day, I made a simple card to mark the day by combining sentiments from a few sets from the Little Critter collection.

I used the “be” from the Little Critters Too set (omitting the second “e” from the word "bee") along with word “mine” from the Critters Sentiments set to stamp “be mine” on a white circle. The letters are filled in with several different Copic markers to create a gradient effect. If you like the style of these letters, you can find 2 whole sets of them--one solid, one outline--in the Alpha Duo set.

The colored panel is layered on a red circle, then set on the white cardfront on top of a black strip. I added a red crystal heart at the top of the panel, then attached a trio of red crystals at the end of the black strip. I can see replicating this design with other sentiments and coordinating icons to make up a bunch of quick cards for lots of occasions.

Don’t miss what the rest of the CSS team has created for this month’s challenge. Here’s where to find them:

Lori—you’re here!
Kim Duran
Tracy Schultz
Dana Grothaus
Laurie Willison
CSS Blog

Materials Used:
Little Critters Too and Critters Sentiments stamp sets, Perfect Little Black Dress ink, Dare to Be a Diva Red, Perfect Little Black Dress, and A Blanc Check cardstock, Copic markers (R20, R21, R24, R27) (Clear and Simple Stamps); circle dies (Spellbinders); red crystal heart (Me and My Big Ideas); red crystals (KaiserCraft)

Ouch!

Here’s my card for today’s SCS clean and simple challenge. I followed the sketch provided to make this sweet get well card using the bandage image from the Boo-Boo set from Our Craft Lounge.

I used red and black ink pads to ink up the bandage image so that I could get the solid heart part of the image in red--the little dew drop-shaped ink pads make this easy to do. The image is stamped three times on the white panel and colored in with Copic markers.

I layered the panel on a black mat, then set it on a red card base. The other sentiment from the set, “sorry to hear about your boo boo,” is stamped inside the card.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Our Craft Lounge Boo-Boo stamp set, X-Press white Copic blending cardstock, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black and Rhubarb Stalk inks, Copic markers (E00, E11, E13, W00)

other: Riding Hood Red and Basic Black cardstock (Stampin’ Up!)

Paper Pieced Love

This week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge was to use paper piecing on your project. Paper piecing's one of my favorite techniques and I had fun making an adorable paper pieced monster for my card.

The monster's a non-scary one from the Paper Smooches Falling for You set. I stamped it on pale pink cardstock, then again on a dotted paper piece. The dotted piece was cut out and set on the pink monster, leaving its horns exposed to show the original pink. I used the same pink for the monster's eyes and tooth. A warm gray Copic marker added a little shading to the image around the arm and near the feet.

It's set on a grass strip, created with a border punch and a piece of very subtly patterned paper from the same paper pad. I added a pair of balloons above the monster, also paper pieced with a dotted pattern. To add dimension, I attached one balloon directly to the cardfront and the second overlapping it using dimensional dots. The balloon strings were drawn in with a black multiliner pen.

I ran a piece of green baker's twine across the grassy strip and secured it with a white button. I used parts of two sentiments from the Paper Smooches Smoocheroos set to get the "love you" sentiment stamped beneath the grassy strip.

Materials Used:
from i {heart} papers: Paper Smooches Falling for You and Smoocheroos stamp sets, Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink, Copic marker (W-1) and multiliner pen, My Mind's Eye Dwell 6x6 paper pad, Divine Twine green apple baker's twine, Sticky Thumb dimensional dots

other: Pink Pirouette cardstock (Stampin' Up!); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); white button (Michaels)

Rosie Posie Birthday Wishes

***Scroll down to the post below for my CSS/Moxie Fab post--there's a prize up for grabs . . .***

Here's my card for today's SCS featured stamper challenge. It's been a few weeks since I've been able to join in this challenge, so I was glad to have a little time this afternoon so I could play along. My card's based on this pretty floral card with a hydrangea as the focal image.

I've been wanting to break out my Rosie Posie set from Papertrey Ink for a while now and I figured I could switch up the original card a bit to work with one of the set's large blooms. I stamped the image in Autumn Rose ink, then carefully cut it out, then did the same thing with the leafy stem stamped in Ripe Avocado ink. I set the pieces on a white panel, using foam tape to attach the flower part, setting it so it extended beyond the top of the panel. I tied some Autumn Rose grosgrain ribbon around the bottom of the panel, then stamped the "birthday wishes" sentiment from the Round and Round set beneath the ribbon. I set the panel on a white panel embossed with a simple decorative pattern, then layered the piece on an Autumn Rose card base.

Materials Used:
Rosie Posie and Round and Round stamp sets, Autumn Rose and Ripe Avocado inks, Autumn Rose and White cardstock, Tin Types Impression Plate, Autumn Rose grosgrain ribbon (Papertrey Ink); foam tape

CSS Gets the Moxie Fab Stamp of Approval

Have you heard? Clear and Simple Stamps is Moxie Fab! Paper Crafts Magazine's Trends Editor, Cath Edvalson, featured a few fab pieces from CSS's Critter Collection and gave them her Moxie Fab Stamp of Approval. Just in case you missed our Moxie Fab debut, we are having a little Moxie Fab showcase with the Design Team to highlight a few of the sets from Cath's list.

Leave a comment on any of the CSS team's blogs (see the list later on in this post) and one lucky winner will win a Love Cupid stamp set - after all, it is almost Valentine's Day! Comments will be accepted up to midnight, Monday. A winner will be announced, Tuesday, February 14th...

Here's my contribution to the showcase. I designed a clean and simple Valentine using images from the Hearts Plus and Shapes: Hearts sets along with a sentiment from the Love Cupid set. I arranged three different size and color hearts on a white panel, using a little foam tape to add dimension to the trio. The heart trio panel is set on a white panel wrapped with some pink baker's twine. I curved the "I love you" sentiment on my clear block and stamped it in pink ink along the edge of the circle. I accented the sentiment with a trio of rhinestones on each side.

Here's a list of the participating designers:
Laurie
Kim
Tracy
Steph
Lori--you're here!
Laura
CSS Blog

Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win!

Materials Used:
Hearts Plus, Shapes: Hearts and Love Cupid stamp sets, I’m a Princess Pink, Paint the Town Pink, and Haute Red Couture inks, Shapes: Hearts dies, I’m a Princess Pink, Paint the Town Pink, Haute Red Couture, and A Blanc Check cardstock, pink Divine Twine (Clear and Simple Stamps); circle dies (Spellbinders); clear crystals (Recollections); foam tape

Just My Type-Not!

This week's Our Craft Lounge challenge is "vintage love." I really struggle with vintage style stuff, so this was a real challenge for me! I started with the vintage typewriter image from OCL's Years Gone By set and worked from there to come up with this card with a few vintage elements mixed together.

The typewriter image is stamped in black ink on a cream panel. I rubbed a little distress ink around the panel's edges for a weathered, aged look.

I used two different patterned papers for the card--a simple black and cream dotted one for the large panel and a repeated "XOXO" text pattern for the panel across the cardfront. I set the image panel on the card, backed with half a paper doily. Like the image panel, the doily was inked with distress ink to get that aged appearance. I wrapped a little cream twine around the cardfront, securing it with a button. The set's "just my type" sentiment is stamped in red with the help of my stamp positioner tool and slipped beneath the text paper panel.

Be sure to check out all the challenge details on the OCL blog. There's a stamp set up for grabs for one of this month's challenge participants, so you don't want to miss out . . .

Materials Used:
Years Gone By stamp set (Our Craft Lounge); Memento Tuxedo Black and Rhubarb Stalk inks (Tsukineko); Tea Dye distress ink (Ranger); Cranberry Crisp, Very Vanilla, and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin' Up!); For the Record patterned paper (Echo Park); Love Me 6x6 paper pad (My Mind's Eye); circle dies (Spellbinders); Kraft button, cream twine (Papertrey Ink); paper doily (Wilton)

Class Act

Here’s my card for this week’s My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch challenge. The long, narrow panel at the center of the card was perfect for one of MFT’s a la modes, so I went with the You Rule set and some coordinating school themed patterned papers.

I started off with a patterned paper with a letter print for the large panel behind the image. The colors for the rest of the card were chosen to match the ones in the paper. After matting the patterned paper on a orangey-red panel, I set it on a kraft card base. A light blue panel embossed with tiny dots sits over the patterned paper.

I stamped the a la mode on a white panel and colored her with Copic markers. She's set on a red panel with the set's "you're a class act" sentiment stretched across the bottom of the image. It's accented with a glittery gold chipboard star--perfect for a school-themed design.

Materials Used:
a la modes You Rule stamp set (My Favorite Things); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black ink (Tsukineko); markers (Copic); Poppy Parade, Bashful Blue, and Crumb Cake cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Off to School 6x6 paper pad (Fancy Pants); Swiss Dot embossing folder (Cuttlebug); gold glitter chipboard star (Recollections)

Ticket to My Heart

Here’s a sweet Valentine’s Day card for this week’s Mojo Monday sketch challenge. I combined a fun ticket die cut and a mix of patterned papers plus a few vintage elements to put this one together.

I replaced one of the sketch’s rectangle panels with a red ticket cut with the CutUps Big Ticket die. I used the matching Admit One stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas to decorate the ticket before setting it on the cardfront. I used three coordinating patterned papers from the My Mind’s Eye Love Me paper pad for the rest of the panels on the card.

A strip of kraft ribbon stretches across the center of the card. I layered a pair of die cuts made with TCP’s Circus Panels CutUps dies at middle of the ribbon and stamped the “ticket to my heart” sentiment on the smaller die cut piece.

I was going to call it quits, but the design seemed a little plain, so I went back and added a little lace trim along the bottom edge of the kraft ribbon and stuck in a pair of pretty pearl trinket pins for good measure. I have a hard time using vintage-y embellishments like that, but they seemed to work okay here and add a needed interesting detail to the card.

Materials Used:
Admit One stamp set, CutUps Big Ticket and Circus Panels dies (The Cat’s Pajamas); Memento Tuxedo Black and Rhubarb Stalk inks (Tsukineko); Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, and Very Vanilla cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Love Me 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); Kraft grosgrain ribbon (Papertrey Ink); lace trim (Michaels); pearl trinket pins (Maya Road)

Blogger Challenge: Week 242

This week’s blogger challenge theme is “in bloom.” We’ve had such a mild winter around here that just this week when Chloe the cutie puppy and I were out walking, I noticed that one of the cherry trees in my neighborhood is already just about ready to bloom. Even though it’s nice to see a sign of spring, it’s way too early for that to be happening! So, with those first signs of spring fresh in mind, I created this clean and simple—and sweet-- spring-feeling design for the challenge using stamps from Our Craft Lounge.

I stamped a trio of different sized flowers from the Build-a-Bouquet stamp set in lilac ink on a dotted paper, then added green faux stitched “stems” to ground them. I dotted the center of each flower with a self-adhesive pearl for a little dimension. The “you’re bloomin’ fabulous!” sentiment from the Say it with Flowers set fit nicely in the open space next to the flower trio.

A green border punched grass strip sits at the bottom of the panel. I wrapped the strip with some olive baker’s twine, securing it with a dainty bow. Beneath the grass strip, I added a coordinating piece of striped patterned paper that caught my eye from my scrap pile. The purples, blues, and greens coordinated perfectly with the rest of my card.

For more bloom themed ideas, check out the link list below. And, if you’d like to join the challenge, add a direct link to your new project below.

Materials Used:
Build-a-Bouquet and Say it with Flowers stamp sets (Our Craft Lounge); Kiwi Kiss cardstock, Old Olive marker (Stampin’ Up!); Memento Lilac Posies ink (Tsukineko); Island Mist Double Dot designer paper (BoBunny); Lime Twist-Happy Go Lucky 6x6 paper pad (My Mind’s Eye); grass border punch (Martha Stewart); olive baker’s twine (Timeless Twine); self-adhesive pearls (Recollections)

Love You To the Moon and Back

Here’s my card for this week’s Waltzingmouse sketch challenge. I went fun and whimsical for my version of the sketch and created a sweet child-friendly Valentine’s Day card with the Half-pint Heroes set.

I built my card on a navy circle covered with a slightly smaller navy circle with a dotted pattern. After stretching a piece of red grosgrain ribbon along the left side of the dotted circle, I added a die cut heart “moon” to the card. The heart is embossed with a dot pattern and sprayed with a little shimmer spritz for a subtle sparkle.

I stamped the set’s rocket ship image, complete with a smiling face peeking out of the window, colored it, and cut it out, then set it on the card with foam tape. I stamped “love you” on the heart in navy ink and finished the sentiment on a white notch-edged strip.

Materials Used:
Half-Pint Heroes stamp set (Waltzingmouse Stamps); white cardstock (Taylored Expressions); Memento Tuxedo Black and Paris Dusk inks, Frost Shimmer Spritz (Tsukineko); Night of Navy and Crushed Curry cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Dark Denim Dot designer paper (BoBunny); circle and heart dies (Spellbinders); Polka Dot embossing folder (Lifestyle Crafts); red grosgrain ribbon (?); Silver Fox Smooch (Clearsnap); foam tape