Category Archives: cards

Twice as nice

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Last night I couldn’t make a decision.  This isn’t news, by the way – I often have a hard time making decisions (Vanilla Swiss Almond or Deep Dark Chocolate??  Oatmeal Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter Fudge??)  Last night’s choice, however, had nothing to do with food and everything to do with color.

The Color Dare Challenge this week was Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise, Certainly Celery and Whisper White – a combination I would choose myself, so an easy one for me to work with.    My problem was proportions.  When I start a color challenge, the first thing I like to do is determine which color will be the dominant color – usually the card base – and which colors will be secondary.  I’m a blues-and-greens girl myself, so I knew Regal Rose would be an accent color, but I couldn’t decide which color to choose for my card base.

Birthday Gifts in Tempting Turquoise

What do you think?  Does it work in Tempting Turquoise?

Birthday Gifts in Certainly Celery

Or is it better in Certainly Celery?

  • Happy Moments, Crazy for Cupcakes, Itty Bitty Backgrounds and You & Moi stamp sets
  • Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White card stock
  • Patterns II Designer Series Paper (retired)
  • Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise and Certainly Celery Classic ink pads
  • Ruby Red and Tempting Turquoise Stampin’ Write markers
  • Scallop Trim, Corner Rounder, Photo Corner and Modern Label punches
  • Piercing tool and mat, Fresh Favorites II Buttons, Stampin’ Sponges and Linen Thread

I still don’t know which one I prefer.

And if that sketch looks familiar, yes, it’s the Mojo Monday sketch for this week.  For some reason I’m fighting the circle thing.  Call it rebellion.  More likely I just need some Deep Dark Chocolate and everything will be fine.

Friendly little houses all in a row

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Had to dig out the Stamp-a-ma-jig with this one.  When you’re stamping little boxes in a line, nothing but STRAIGHT will do.  I attempted this 3 times before I gave in.  After all, I was using my Good Neighbors Clear Mount stamps, wasn’t I?  Shouldn’t I be able to line the houses up that way?  The honest answer is No, at least if you’re as picky about straight as I am.

Friendly little houses all in a row

  • Good Neighbor (SAB) and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede and So Saffron card stock
  • Welcome Neighbor (SAB) and Patterns Pack III (Hostess) Designer Series Paper pads
  • Bermuda Bay, Dusty Durango, Old Olive and Soft Suede Classic ink pads
  • Old Olive Stampin’ Write marker and Aquapainter
  • 1 3/4″ and 1 3/8″ circle punches;  corner rounder,  piercing tool and mat
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig and  Button Latte Designer Buttons
  • Big Shot and Matchbox Bigz XL die (label)
  • Ribbon Originals Elementary and Linen Thread
  • Non-SU:  A needle to sew on the button and “self-adhesive notes” to mask the images

This is based on this week’s Mojo Monday sketch, but I kept digressing so it’s not true to the original design.  I can’t begin to count how many little scraps of paper, buttons, labels and punches were littering my craft table when I finally decided I was finished.  Ah, the creative process is a messy state of affairs!

The papers in the Welcome Neighbor Designer Series pad are really inspiring.  They’re vibrant colors, but many of the designs have enough white mixed in to keep them from overwhelming a project.  Some of the patterns are whimsical, which makes them fun to play with, and the “B side” is always a great neutral-type design that gives you lots of room to play.  (I guess “B-side” is one of those phrases that will go the way of the “E-ticket”.  Sigh.)

I hope these little houses have juiced up my Mojo.  I have a little time tonight to play some more.

Never enough birthday cards

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Have you checked out the Stampin’ Addicts web site?  It’s a wonderful FREE resource for anyone who likes stamping, especially Stampin’ Up! stamping!  There are discussion forums, inspiration galleries, all sorts of weekly challenges, and a very positive attitude that will lift your spirits every time you log in.  Check it out!  They’re celebrating their first birthday.

It’s a good thing to need birthday cards – it means there are wonderful people in your life that you want to acknowledge.  I just wish I could get my act together sufficiently to send birthday cards on time.  Ah well.  As Popeye says, “I yam what I yam.”  And I “yam” sure there will always be room for improvement.

  • Upsy Daisy and Vintage Labels (SAB) stamp sets
  • Chocolate Chip and Bermuda Bay Classic ink pads
  • Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron and Bermuda Bay card stock
  • Scallop Circle and 1″ Circle Punch
  • Champagne Mist shimmer paint, piercing tool, needle and Linen Thread

You don’t see the shimmer paint in the photo, but it’s there on the image panel, trust me.  Love that stuff.  It’s done wonders for my marriage, too — now, don’t go getting ideas — my husband HATES glitter.  Shimmer paint is the Anti-Glitter that keeps us both happy!  No more glitter in the furniture finish, correspondence or laundry!

Playing with color

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We all have our favorites in the color world, and we have our favorite ways of combining those colors too.  The Stampin’ Up! color families make it easy to put colors together by organizing them into pleasing groups.  It’s soothing to work with those comfortable combinations – color evokes an emotional response in most of us, and seeing something in our favorite colors evokes happy thoughts.

It’s a challenge to stretch myself beyond my favorites but I keep working at it.  Sometimes I like the results, and sometimes they make me wince, but I’m learning to see color in new ways.  There’s  a basket full of scraps on my craft table (what a surprise!) and lately I’ve been pulling handfuls of scraps out to play with.  I arrange and re-arrange the scraps, bringing one color forward and another back to adjust the proportions of colors until I have something I want to work with.

Vintage Vogue Scripted Birthday

  • Vintage Vogue and Well Scripted Clear Mount stamp sets
  • Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery and So Saffron card stock
  • Certainly Celery and Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink pads
  • Rich Razzleberry polka dot grosgrain ribbon
  • Big Shot and Beautiful Wings embosslit

I came very close to making a big ol’ bow with that Rich Razzleberry ribbon, but this card was for a workshop and I wasn’t sure if a bow would through the new crafters too much of a curve ball.  I’ve seen a lot of really big bows lately and in all honesty, that’s not my style.  I would have probably ripped off the bow and changed it to a nice, flat square knot.  Playing with color is enough for one card – messing with bows will have to wait for another day.  Or maybe not at all.

Elegant and Easy Notes

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A few weeks ago I came across a black and white card with a single color accent.  It was so appealing to me that it has stayed on my mind.  Sometimes an idea just won’t go away, and this one was very persistent.  Last night I had time to play with it, and it took me no time to come up with this:

  • Vintage Vogue Clear Mount Stamp set
  • Basic Black Classic ink pad and Stampin’ Write Journaler
  • Whisper White,  Melon Mambo, Bashful Blue and So Saffron card stock
  • Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit
  • Mini Glue dots

The colors I used with black and white were drawn – literally – from a jar of Beautiful Wings Butterflies I have in my craft room.  I never seem to use all the butterflies that embosslit makes, and I can’t bear to throw them away so they collect in a jar.

This card would be very easy to reproduce in quantity, especially if you changed the stamp to a wheel.  As it was, I made a dozen of these in about 20 minutes.  Each note card is made from a quarter sheet of card stock and is just the right size for a quick thank you or invitation.

Valentine Kisses

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Happy Valentines’ Day!  Take a moment to say “I love you” to the ones who are near and dear.  Oh, and the ones who are far and dee-ah, too!

A Valentine's Kiss for the sweetest

  • Pretty in Pink and Whisper White card stock
  • Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
  • Chocolate Chip Classic ink pad
  • Sweet Pea Stitched Felt, Sending Love Notes Hugs and Small Square Glassine Envelopes
  • Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions folder
  • Regal Rose 5/8″ grosgrain ribbon, Word Window punch and Mini Glue dots

Crystal made this for me – she has the best ideas.  I stopped by to see her on Friday – the baby is due in two short weeks and I got to consult on the bedroom decor.  It was a no-brainer – she’s put together the cutest baby room you can imagine.  This is gonna be one lucky little boy.

Grids ‘n Dots

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Participating in the ColourQ challenge yesterday really helped motivate me, so I went looking for a challenge for today.  I found two – the Splitcoast Sketch Challenge and the Color Dare.  (And no, I am not going to look for 3 challenges tomorrow.  That would be totally unsustainable.)

Sometimes sketch challenges are too Out-Of-The-Box for me, but yesterday’s SCS Sketch Challenge (SC267) was just right.  I’ve been looking at repeating elements in cards and turning over some ideas in my head, so the timing was perfect.  When I sat down to put my ideas to work, I couldn’t settle on a color combination.  A quick search turned up the Color Dare site.  As you might guess, this is not a challenge for the faint of heart!  This week’s color challenge was Crushed Curry, Brilliant Blue, Kiwi Kiss and Kraft:

Grids and Dots

  • I {Heart} Hearts Clear Mount stamp set
  • Kraft, Brilliant Blue, and Whisper White card stock; Kiwi Kiss Designer Series Paper (retired)
  • Crushed Curry Classic ink pad
  • Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon
  • Big Shot and Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impression folder
  • 1 3/8″ and 1 1/4″ Square punches; Heart to Heart punch
  • Stampin Dimensionals, Tombo Adhesive, Mini Glue dots and Crystal Effects

The coolest thing about this card is that with the exception of the card base, the entire thing came from my scrap basket!!  That basket is out of control, and the more I use from it the happier I am.  There’s a Mini Glue dot holding the knot of the ribbon in place – with so much linear action it needed to be pegged down.   One more hint:  Use Stampin’ Dimensionals to hold a large panel on a deeply embossed card front.  Those dots are awesome, but they make it hard for adhesive to get a grip.

I didn’t see the grids emerge until I started to play with the hearts.  The Perfect Polka Dots textured impression folder was a natural once I realized I needed that Crushed Curry polka dot ribbon.  It was fun to play off the geometry of the repeating squares.

Keeping your feet firmly planted

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Whew.

The past week has been so full.  Early Saturday morning we took Carol to the airport, said our goodbyes (a few extra times for good luck) and put her on the plane for Perth.  Getting to that point was physically and emotionally exhausting, but once we were there, it felt much better than I’d anticipated.  Of course we shed tears, and continue to do so (like right now, typing this post).  Her dad and I know this is the right move for her, and after all the sorting, packing and problem solving of last week we are ready to let go.  She’s ready too – sorry to leave Maui, but happy to finally live in the same time zone as her boyfriend.

I haven’t accomplished much since Saturday.  I did engage in something of a cleaning frenzy yesterday.  My son grumbled that it was his sister’s fault that I suddenly needed all his stuff  Put Away Now, but he knows I’ll get over it.  My next task is to clear out the debris that remains in Carol’s room, clean it up, and return it to the purpose it fulfilled so well for 4 years of university:  My Stamp Room.  Ah yes.  Every cloud does have its silver lining.

In the meantime, I sat down at the disaster area that currently functions as a stamp space and made a card.  Boy, did that feel good.  So good, I think I’ll make another later on!

Plant your feet firmly and let your heart have wings

  • Fifth Avenue Floral, Vintage Vogue, and Hope Happens Stamp sets
  • Whisper White, Regal Rose, Blush Blossom and Close to Cocoa card stock
  • Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom and Regal Rose Classic ink pads
  • Big Shot and Beautiful Wings Embosslit die
  • Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, Aquapainter and the Scallop Trim border punch
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig, Embossing Buddy, Fine Supernova Stampin’ Glitter and Tombo Adhesive

The color inspiration for this card came from colourQchallenge – this is ColourQ 19.  I used the same embellished leaf stamp from Vintage Vogue on the Blush Blossom card base and the Whisper White focal image, but I stamped it off on the Whisper White panel to make it more subtle.  To get the mixed colors with the glitter, I dotted Tombo adhesive in the center of the flower a few times and dusted with the Chocolate glitter, then repeated and dusted again with the Pink glitter.  Don’t forget to use your Embossing Buddy on your cardstock before glittering – it really makes a difference!

You’ve got a friend

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Today’s post is an auto post, set earlier in the week to post today.  Today is the day my oldest daughter leaves for Australia.  Her dad and I are really happy for her, but it’s very  hard to say goodbye.  It’s going to be a tough day.

This week, my friends have been so supportive, calling and asking how I’m doing.  They don’t let me get too emotional, and they assure me they’ll be there for me next week.  I have wonderful, generous, loving friends.  I am so grateful for them.

Kind and wonderful friends

  • Vintage Vogue stamp set and Very Vintage Jumbo Wheel
  • Naturals Ivory, Soft Suede, Ruby Red and Mellow Moss card stock
  • Soft Suede, Ruby Red, Mellow Moss and Sahara Sand Classic ink pads
  • Button Latte, Linen Thread and Paper Snips
  • Big Shot and the Backgrounds I Texturz plates

I prefer to sew my buttons on whenever possible.  They stick pretty well with glue dots, but I like the authenticity of sewing them on, and they don’t come off unless you really yank on them.

Thanks, friends.

Love You Much

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In my humble opinion, the Medallion stamp is one of the best values in the Stampin’ Up! catalog.  It can be a background or a focal point, it can be a single image or multiple layers, and it works in any color you can imagine.  Not only that, but it is really fun to dress up – kind of a Stamper’s Barbie doll.

Love You Medallion

  • Medallion, Well Scripted and Vintage Labels (SAB) stamp sets
  • Bashful Blue, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White card stock
  • Bashful Blue and Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink pads
  • 3/4″ and Scallop Circle punches, Bashful Blue Satin ribbon, and Pretties kit
  • Stampin’ Sponge and brayer

I inked the Medallion stamp with Bashful Blue ink using a brayer.  Larger stamps with anything bolder than line art really need to be inked with the brayer to get even converage.

(I place the stamp rubber-side-up and roll the brayer on the ink pad and then on the stamp, repeating until I’m sure my coverage is complete.  I carefully position the cardstock on the inked rubber and put a large piece of scrap paper on top.  You need a steady hand to keep from moving that cardstock!  I use a separate brayer to run across the scrap paper, transferring the ink to my cardstock.  You can use the same brayer if you like, but I like to use a clean one when I’m creating multiple images because it doesn’t waste the ink.)

Back to this image – once I applied the Bashful Blue ink with the brayer, I used a Stampin’ Sponge to add Tempting Turquoise ink all the way around the outside of the Medallion.  I used a heavy hand since there isn’t a huge contrast between the two colors.  When I had both colors applied, I put the cardstock onto the stamp, layered the scratch paper on and used the brayer across the top.

The Vintage Labels image is stamped with Tempting Turquoise on Whisper White and punched with the Scallop Circle.  The last layer is the center of the Medallion inked with Bashful Blue, stamped on Bashful Blue cardstock and cut out with the 3/4″ circle.  A half pearl from the Pretties Kit is the finishing touch.

I think this is sort of a Wedding Barbie kind of Medallion.  One of these days I’m going to sit down and make this same card in a variety of color schemes.  The possibilities are endless.