Stampin' Up! Vertical Greetings

The Card Concept - CC#68

requires that you pick a style (they have great descriptions on their site) when you enter a card in their challenge. This particular challenge requires the use of lime color and aqua. The style I chose was "mixed media" and that involved heat embossing the sentiment, inking the lace and flowers, and adding the paper doily. It also fits the bill for WWYS #106.

The sketch came from Sugar Pea Designs

The inspiration came all the way from Georgia! Thank you, Mary D!

The stamps I used are from Oh So Succulent, Vertical Greetings and Delicate Details. The inks I used were Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay, Memento Pear Tart and the paper is Bermuda Bay, Whisper White and a scrap that came from who knows where...not sure if it's lime or neon green! The embossing was done with Versa Mark and white embossing powder.

Thanks for looking!!

France Martin

If you aren't familiar with France Martin, you should check her out on You Tube. She doesn't have a video for her card which I CASEd but I like what I did with it! The buildings are from the November 2016 Paper Pumpkin kit and the foreground stamp is from Beautiful You (Occasions 2016 catalog). This stamp COULD be going bye bye March 31 so if you want it you can order from me! If you order $50, you can get something free from the Sale-a-Bration catalog. Check these options out on my left side bar!

Thanks for looking!

Special Reason

 The Flower Challenge #6. 

That's the reason! I CASEd Kay Kalthoff's card. You can see her card on You Tube. She does a great tutorial for it. Hers is much better than mine but, then, practice makes perfect so I'll have to make another!

I used Blushing Bride for my card base with a Basic Black mat dry embossed with the Modern Mosaic embossing folder (retired). Blushing Bride glimmer paper is behind my black die cut flower. The top flower is stamped with Blushing Bride and Sweet Sugarplum. I outlined some of the petals with white ink gel pen. The doily is the Very Vanilla side of the doilies in the Occasions catalog. I added rhinestones for a little bling. The leaves are Pear Pizzazz and the ribbon is the Sweet Sugarplum rouched ribbon. All products used are Stampin' Up. You can order the bundle through me if you want! Just follow the instructions on my left side bar.

Thanks for looking!

Happy Birthday!

Tomorrow our card group is celebrating one of our member's birthday. She is a cool 84 year old chick so I made this card for her.

Her favorite Stampin' Up colors are Calypso Coral and Tempting Turquoise. The chick is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Daffodil Delight watercolor pencil. The hair and tail are colored with Calypso Coral watercolor pencil. I used a blender pen to smooth it out. I used my black watercolor pencil for the sunglasses and the frame was, again, Calypso Coral watercolor pencil. I made my mark for Addicted to Stamps Challenge #232. My favorite technique is die cutting. Stampin Royalty Challenge SR#394

The dies I used were SU Stitched Shape Framelits for the ovals and Hexagon Hive Thinlits. 

Thanks for looking!

Thoughts and Prayers

That dreaded moment when you need a sympathy card and nothing that you have made fits the people...then you find an ink challenge, a sketch challenge and a theme challenge which helps to make it easier. My card is a "Thinking of You" card and is for the Tuesday Throwdown TT333 Thinking of You Challenge.

The sketch came from Tuesday Morning Sketches #393 and the colors are for the CAS Color Challenge #213. My card base is Elegant Eggplant, the Crushed Curry mat WAS white (retired Color Me Irresistible) but I sponged it before I realized one of the rules. (Hopefully, they'll let me slide this time.) My die cut piece is Smoky Slate using the Layering Ovals die set. The stamp set is Thoughts and Prayers and I stamped the tree in Elegant Eggplant, second generation. The sentiment is stamped with Crushed Curry. All products are Stampin' Up with the exception of the metal butterfly. I think I used minimal embellishments. The chevron in the upper corner is Elegant Eggplant. 

The inside is done using the same stamp set.

For my envelope I stamped the same flowers, third generation on the front and glued DSP to the envelope flap. I still need more practice on that process!

Thanks for looking!

Springtime Butterflies

Today, The Paper Players #334 

is for me. I don't have much time to play because the NASCAR race is coming on from Atlanta. I also wanted to make some cards before that. So, here's my very simple card that is die cut and embossed. Easy peasy! Thanks for looking!

Cards Made at Card Group

Thursday was our card group at Dottie's. She served a wonderful lunch of tarragon chicken salad, Texas Caviar, tomatoes from her garden (who says you can't grow tomatoes in Florida that taste like NY or NJ!) and other assorted goodies, including dessert. We made a Christmas card which I am entering in 

craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge #323, CHNC Christmas Challenge Extra for March 2017 (at Hazel's invitation!) and craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper - march challenge

I'm not sure what the DSP is but all I know is it was beautiful and my camera phone doesn't do it justice!

Thanks for looking!

I'll Fly Away!

Tuesday Throwdown #332 Part 3 It's difficult to distinquish the colors in this winged card, but it's a light green base, with a black mat. The Very Vanilla layer is done with a Garden Green marker and Mint Macaron. You color an acrylic block with the two markers and then "squiggle" it with an aqua painter, then press the block on the paper. Linda Bauwin did a You Tube video on that technique and I CASEd her card. The dragonfly (Dragonfly Dreams - Stampin' Up) is done with Emerald Envy for the solid wings and black Memento for the body and lace wings. It didn't quite line up, but I kind of like the effect. (I think I will make another using Basic Gray for the laced wings and body.) The sentiment is from that same stamp set. The inside also uses the bee from that stamp set and the sentiment is from a Paper Pumpkin kit. I used a "mish mosh" of products for this card!! I stippled the inside and have to figure out how to clean my brush. If you know, please leave a comment so I don't have to go investigating!

Thanks for looking, again!

Stampin' Up! Papillon Potpourri

Here's my CASEd card for Tuesday Throwdown #332 Things With Wings Challenge

I can't decide which one I like better. Do you have a preference?

Pretty Much Retired but Still Dreaming

Tuesday Throwdown #332 - Things with Wings.  I am going to try this post in three parts.Their rules allow you to enter three times as long as it's not an "anything goes" challenge. So, I'm entering three cards. My colors are Blackberry Bliss (retired), Sahara Sand and Very Vanilla. The stamp set I used is Papillon Potpourri. The DSP is SU retired Farmer's Market. The sentiment is stamped on a Stitched Shape Framelit. The butterfly embellishment is from Eyelet Outlet.

Thanks for looking!

Stampin' Up! Masculine Belated Birthday

Although this DSP is from a Christmas stack, I don't think it counts toward Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas challenge. BUT, it does qualify for her patterned paper challenge CHNPP - March 2017. By now you know I need more DSP, and her prize is unknown at the moment.

Thanks for looking.

Close to Vintage!

I follow a wonderful crafter and she designed a vintage card which I absolutely loved. Although my card is not as vintage as Mary's I liked the way it turned out. If you get a chance, check out her work... Mary's Vintage Card 

Here's mine...

I chose Rich Razzleberry for my card base, Tempting Turquoise for my mats and Very Vanilla for the stamped layers. The VV layer is embossed with the Petal Burst embossing folder. The music DSP is from This Christmas and I "distressed" it with stamps from Timeless Textures and Avant Garden. I tore both layers and sponged the edges with Early Espresso. I added dashes around the TT mat to make it look stitched like the circles, which were die cut from Stitched Shape framelits. The copper foil was punched with the 2 3/8" retired scallop punch, mounted with dimensionals with a bit of copper thread attached. The sentiment was heat embossed with copper embossing powder and the sentiment is from Grateful Bunch. I added 4 Rich Razzleberry dots in the corners.

The inside sentiments came from Flourishing Phrases. I stamped off the flowers using Early Espresso ink. The sentiments are stamped in Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry.

You can order any of these products (with the exception of the retired punch) from me through Stampin' Up. Just check out my left side bar for directions. In order to get the Avant Garden stamp set, you would need to order $50 worth of product and then you would get it free. Free is good! It's also my new "go to" stamp set.

Thanks for looking!

You Choose!

The Alphabet Challenge - Letter "Y" - You Choose! is where I decided to enter this card. I made it at our card group and CASEd the hostess' card sample. It was quick to make as she had already had the the dress die cut. I liked the DSP she chose. I heat embossed the sentiment, which came from a Paper Pumpkin kit. I colored little pearls with a black Sharpie. I just love to do three dot dots too!

Thanks for looking!

Stampin' Up! Swirly Scribbles

Thank you, Christy Velasquez, for the inspiration to CASE your card that I found on Pinterest.

I think it fits LeAnne's theme of 3's on Paper Players #333 Challenge.

My pictures haven't been coming out right as far as color. This is Pacific Point and Tip Top Taupe. The die set is Swirly Scribbles Thinlits. I have no idea what the DSP is...I need to start marking my sheets with Post Its. If you recognize it, please leave me a comment. The hearts are metallic Pacific Point and the "Thank You" is die cut.

Thanks for looking!

I'm Biased!

Yesterday I spent most of the day cleaning up my DSP stack and found this stash I didn't remember I had. So, it was fitting for Just Add Ink #348 "Just Add Ombre" and As You See It Challenge #144

I may be a little biased, but I like the way my card turned out...

it's clean and simple! My card base is Elegant Eggplant. I stippled the Whisper White layer with Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum and Sweet Sugarplum. The twine came from another card kit and I have no idea what it is. The sentiment is from Number of Years.

Thanks for looking.

Bella is so cute!

Bella and Friends stamp set is one of my favorites. The dog just makes me happy. So, he will be off tomorrow to see a friend who has just had a stroke. I hope he cheers her up. Before he goes, though, he asked to be entered in these four challenges:

1. CTD431 using mint, green, plum and light brown

2. Great Impressions February 2017 Sketch Challenge (inspired by GD Angie)

3. Cuttlebug Mania's It's a Zoo out there challenge using animals

4. Die Cuttin Divas Challenge #305 Animals

All products are Stampin' Up with the exception of the inside, which is a a stamp from Verses. My card base is Crumb Cake, mat is Mint Macaron, mosaic embossed card stock is Rich Razzleberry lined with Emerald Envy (punched out with the scallop edge punch which is retired). Bella is stamped on Whisper White with a Crumb Cake mat and die cut with my Cuttlebug using SU Stitched Shape framelits. She is colored lightly with Early Espresso watercolor pencil and her collar and heart are Melon Mambo watercolor pencil. The "hello" is stamped in Emerald Envy using a stamp from Thoughtful Banners. The three metallic hearts are Emerald Envy.

Hopefully he will serve his purpose in brightening her day and maybe even be liked in the challenges!

Thanks for looking.

Just a Note

This may be just a note, but I rather like it! So much so that I've decided to enter it in two challenges...

Paper Players #332 CAS using the sentiment as the focal point

and Hazel's Patterned Paper Challenge. Her prize is beautiful DSP and I would love to win that! Heaven knows I don't have enough DSP!!!

So, without further ado, my card speaks for itself...no description needed! Well, except to tell you the colors and DSP used...Emerald Envy and Moroccan DSP from Stampin' Up.

Thanks for looking!

When Cupcakes Fly!

As you can see, I haven't blogged in over a week. Part of last week we were in Disney, then we came home and my husband had to do his chemo routine for two days.

I'm thankful to SR#363 for their die challenge.

and to #WWYS104 for their challenge using the Lift Me Up stamp set.   

What perfect timing for the birthday card I made for a friend. Here it is...

All products are Stampin Up with the exception of the  cloud embossing folder and background DSP. The base is Blackberry Bliss (retired) but you could use Elegant Eggplant or Rich Razzleberry. The mat is Perfect Plum, which has been debossed (it should have been embossed but I had it in the folder incorrectly). The Basic Black hot air balloon and the DSP pieces under the top were die cut using the Up & Away Thinlits Dies, which can be ordered as a bundle with the Lift Me Up stamp set. The clouds were stamped on vellum with Pacific Point and die cut. Both sentiments were embossed with black embossing powder. The top sentiment is from the January 2017 Paper Pumpkin kit and the bottom is from Thoughtful Banners. The floating cupcakes were also from cardstock in the January PP kit and punched with a retired SU punch. I added lines in Early Espresso to make it look like cupcake liners. The Whisper White inside of the card has smaller hot air balloons and clouds stamped off twice with Perfect Plum and just the "Hope Your Day is on Cloud Nine" sentiment.

This card has many flaws but she knows we are both flawed so it is fitting! BUT purple is her favorite color and she loves cupcakes so she might not even notice!!

Thanks for looking.

Humming Birds and Bees

I love humming birds (is it one word or two?)...well today it's two :-) BUT I especially love bees because my father was a bee keeper. We had a number of hives in the backyard and we would take the honey comb to a place to have the honey made. I would help slap on the labels and stamp his name and address on the jars. (My first experience stamping!) It was a pleasant childhood memory.

Today I made this card for my granddaughter who turns 21...where did the years go? My inspiration came from Nance at PP331 Color Challenge. I had all the ingredients! My sketch inspiration came from Sketch Saturday #450. I am so thankful for the people who take time out of their busy schedules to create challenges for us card makers! Please visit them and give them props!!

I water colored (or tried to) the hummingbird and fussy cut it. I used Smokey Slate and Blushing Bride. I have no idea what gave it the blue tints. I put a rhinestone on the eye because that didn't come out right. The center of the uncolored flower is done with a Copper Sharpie. The other flowers are done in Blushing Bride with markers and a blender pen. I left the bee uncolored because I didn't know if I could add in another color. The sentiment is Copper heat embossed with some copper thread behind it. I "colored" some white pearls with the copper sharpie and tried to line them up! The card base is Blushing Bride with a mat of copper foil and a mat of Smokey Slate. I'm happy with the way it turned out but I will color the leaves and bee now that I've submitted it for the challenge! 

Thanks for looking!

I Drive the Taxi!

Our Godson's father is an EMT as well as his mother being a paramedic. The father has picked me up in the "taxi" before. In December 2006, I fell off the back of our golf cart and hit the pavement face first. It was not a pretty picture. This really isn't a pretty card either but he IS my fave EMT! The colors of Lee County ambulances are white with an orange and blue zig zag. I should have used the Brushwork Alphabet stamp set but it was quicker just to print on it.

Thanks for looking!

Inspired

I was inspired the other day by LeAnne who made a card not using stamps. I told her about a blog that has a "no stamping" challenge every week. 

Since it is approaching Valentine's Day, I made my card for our Godson. It also qualifies for The Paper Players and Paper Craft Crew Challenges. Here are the links to all the challenges: UnstampaBelles. They also have a twist...must use something new!

LeAnne is part of the Paper Players team and their challenge is "Will You Be My Valentine?". The Paper Players #330

Since everything I used was from Stampin' Up, it will definitely be entered in SUO #167 "It's Time for Valentines"...and I do hope our Godson will be our Valentine!

Now, with all the housekeeping out of the way, here's my card and the WHATZIT about it...

My card base is Real Red, along with the mats (and one Basic Black). The stickers, arrow and banner are from the January 2017 Paper Pumpkin kit (that is the new!) The punched pieces with tiny hearts (punched with SU's retired Word Window) are also from that kit...no stamping...who knew this was possible for me!!! I will write on the inside to keep it truly "no stamping".

Thanks for looking!

Love is in the Air

I often wonder how card makers keep their challenges straight. That alone is a challenge for me! The title of my post represents A Dragonfly Journeys Theme Challenge #85.

Today I made this card for my friend who is letting me use her house for our card group on Thursday. It's just a little thank you. I do adore her and she IS very lovable! (I still think that word should be spelled loveable!)

 Just Us Girls Challenge #379 is dedicated to the word "dogs". My dog stamp set is called "Bella and Friends"and can be found in the current Stampin' Up Annual Catalog. The hot dog truck is from the Sale-A-Bration catalog and is free when you purchase $50 worth of SU products. #WWYS102 is using this stamp set for their weekly challenge. There are tacos, pancakes, ice cream cones, cupcakes and, of course, hot dogs! Bella is a "hot" dog! 

The colors I used were mainly Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red and Basic Black. The hearts came from the January 2017 Paper Pumpkin Kit, along with the "I Adore You" stamp. The inspiration for my red, brown, black and white came from this photo found on Challenge #42 Inspired by All the Little Things

Thanks for looking!

No challenge for these PP cards!

I love these Valentine cards but I can't enter them in any challenge because I CASE'd them (copy and share everything). One I copied exactly and the other I changed just a tad. Thank you, Debbie Wicklund for posting these in our PP FB group! I will be making these with our card group this Thursday.

This third one I also CASE'd and for the life of me, I cannot find where I got it from. If you know, please comment below so I can give credit where credit is due.

Tomorrow I will have time to create my own so that I can enter it in a couple of challenges.

These cards show what you can do with a Paper Pumpkin kit instead of using the instructions provided by SU. Unfortunately, this kit is no longer available. BUT, maybe February's kit will be St. Patrick's day related...one can hope. If you are interested in that, be sure to click on the "Order Paper Pumpkin" on the top left side of my blog and do it before the 10th. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.

Thanks for looking!

Workin' on the Chain Gang

No, I'm not really...AND I am not singing it either. That would be painful for your ears. However, I made a card for a Facebook challenge and I hope it's easy on your eyes. Please check the card makers out and give them some love! #pcgchallenge030  Here is their sketch challenge...

and here is my card...

Thanks for looking!

What a Fun Day!

Our card group met today and what a fun day it was. These were the cards we made and I can't even begin to think about entering them in a challenge because it was just too much fun to think about that! Thank you, Carole!

The first three were done using the Avant Garden from Stampin' Up. It's free if you buy $50 of product from SU. Please see my left side bar for ordering.

This next card was a first for me, using the stippling technique and old SU stamps on a stick. I have to find these!!! I need to make a Valentine card!

Thanks for looking!