Category Archives: cards

Hugs and Kisses through the mail

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My Sara called yesterday.  She had a rough day.  College is like that – the learning experiences are multi–faceted and sometimes you feel kinda beat up.  As a matter of fact, life is like that, and it would be dreadfully dull if it weren’t.  She’s fine, and she’s making good decisions, but it would sure nice to be able to give her a hug.  This is as close as I’ll get to that until she’s home for Christmas:

Simply_Said_CC243

  • Simply Said and Define Your Life stamp sets; Texture Wheel
  • Basic Black, Bermuda Bay and Whisper White card stock
  • Basic Black and Bermuda Bay Classic Stamp pad
  • Stamp-a-ma-jig and Rhinestone brads

I sat down last night when the household quieted down to put together a love note for Sara.  It’s a relatively simple card, but I wanted the message to stand out.  I love the saturated Bermuda Bay In Color with the crisp black and white, and I think I should use brights this way more often.  Big bold colors aren’t usually my first choice, but this is a look I really like.  I hope Sara will like it too…at least more than Chemistry.

November, the month that gets cheated

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I love Christmas.  It’s a wonderful family holiday, and for me as for many, it’s a holy season as well.  I don’t like over-commercialization though, and it makes me crazy to hear Christmas music in stores in October.

(Quick diversion – my local Chico’s was playing Christmas music in early October, around the 7th or so.  I commented to my friend who works there how much I objected to it and she suggested I send an email to corporate.  I did, and received a nice reply  – then learned a week later that my email was forwarded to all the stores and they took the music off!!  WOO HOO!!  A company that listens…what a concept.)

So, back to topic…Christmas is in December.  And in my opinion, Christmas decorations and music belong in December.  That would be AFTER Thanksgiving, one of the best holidays in the American calendar.  But I am in the craft business, and everyone knows you cannot do all of your Christmas crafting in one month, especially when that one month is also crammed full of holiday parties, Christmas cookies, Christmas shopping and wrapping, school Christmas programs, Nutcrackers, Messiahs, Festivals of Trees, and the arrival of Santa in his Canoe (and yes, he does come in a Canoe, I have seen him myself).  I’ve posted a few other Christmas cards, and starting today you’ll see a few more.  You won’t see them every day, because this is the Thankful Month, but you’ll see enough.

All right, I’ll get off my soap box now.  I do tend to rant and rave.

Kraft_Navy_Ornament

  • Delightful Decorations, All Holidays, and Snow Swirled Stamp sets
  • Night of Navy, Whisper White and Kraft card stock
  • Night of Navy and Sahara Sand Classic Stamp pads
  • Big Shot and Petals a Plenty Embossing folder
  • Linen twine, Stampin’ Dimensionals and the Ornament punch

This is a card that is simple enough to produce in quantity without making a crafter any more insane that she/he already is.  (See how Politically Correct I am becoming??)  There are nearly endless color combinations you could use on this card too.  And note the tone-on-tone background on the card front – using a couple of sentiments is one of my favorite ways of adding texture to a card front.  I used to stamp randomly, but that didn’t work well because the words didn’t like being stamped on top of one another when I didn’t leave adequate space between images.  Now I start with one image and stamp it diagonally down the page.  I fill in with a second stamp in line with the first one, and continue across and down the paper.  If I have a third sentiment I’ll use that next , but as often as not, I just alternate two stamps across until the page is full.   A wheel would work really well too – I was just too lazy to go find my Jumbo Handle.

Enjoy Christmas crafting…but don’t forget the Thankful month.

 

When brilliant minds collaborate

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Yesterday you saw my challenge card – today you get to see Cheryl’s.  Hers is similar to mine in many ways, but with just a few changes it has an entirely different feeling.

Cheryl_SCS_CC242_

  • Upsy Daisy stamp set; Linen background stamp (retired)
  • Basic Black and Melon Mambo Classic Stampin’ Ink; Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write marker
  • Basic Black, Kraft, Melon Mambo and Whisper White cardstock; Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Black gingham ribbon

We decided it really didn’t need the sentiment, although it would be easy enough to add at the last minute if you needed it.  I love the softness of the stems – I would have probably done them in black and it would have been too strong a contrast.  I love this Upsy Daisy stamp and I love what Cheryl did with it.  We’ll have to be mosquitoes again!

Learning new things

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In stamping, as in life, there is always room to grow.  New techniques, new projects, new points of view all serve to keep me inspired and encourage me to keep my work fresh.  Left to my own devices, I suspect I would make lots and lots of cards in primarily blue and green hues with very predictable layouts.

The best way I’ve found to grow is to stamp with others.  Stamping together in person is always the best choice – I think I need another person to ignite my creative juices.  Life being what it is, it’s not always possible to stamp with another person.  That’s when online challenges come into play.

Yesterday, I posted a link to the Mojo challenge.  There are also many challenges on Stampin’ Addicts, and even more on Splitcoast Stampers. SCS has a really broad selection of challenges – techniques, product spotlights, unusual inspirations – as well as the more typical color and sketch challenges.  The Blogosphere has made it possible for anyone with an internet connection to post a challenge, and you can spend the better part of the morning cruising through all those options.  Your best option there is to find a few bloggers whose style strikes you either because it’s so unusual, it’s so inspiring, or it’s a close match with your own taste.  Once you’ve done that, subscribe to those blogs to keep updated and start playing along with the challenges.  Don’t feel obligated to post your creations, but at the same time, realize that the sharing and the interaction when you do post can be enjoyable, inspiring, and perhaps even addicting.

Yesterday Cheryl came over and we ended up abandoning our original stamping plan and playing along with the color and sketch challenges at SCS.  Here’s what I did:

Anne_SCS_CC242_SC252

  • Thoughts and Prayers, En Francais, and Linen (retired) stamp sets; Leaves a la Carte (retired) wheel
  • Basic Black, Whisper White, Melon Mambo and Kraft cardstock; retired Designer Series Paper
  • Basic Black and Sahara Sand Classic ink;  Basic Black, Melon Mambo and Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write markers
  • Kraft taffeta ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig and Stampin’ Dimensionals

We had such a good time stamping, although I have to admit we’re like a couple of little kids with the attention span of a pair of mosquitoes.  We kept flitting back and forth between crafting and the computer – and of course we both had phones ringing – but we finished our cards and had a good time together too.

So stretch a little – try a challenge.  If you don’t like it, remember that it’s only paper.

I think I found my MOJO!

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It’s been a long time coming.  I’ve tried a number of the Mojo Monday sketches and looked at way more than I’ve tried.  More often than not, I’d look at the sketch and think it was out of my league.  The few times I did attempt the sketch, I felt dissatisfied with the results.

Until today.  Ta da!  Mojo110.

Mojo110_friendship

Mojo110 Mojo Monday Challenge

  • Inspired by Nature and Wings of Friendship stamp sets
  • Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Yoyo Yellow, Brocade Blue and Whisper White cardstock
  • Old Olive and Bashful Blue Classic ink pads;  Bashful Blue Craft ink pad; Champagne Mist Shimmer paint
  • Big Shot and SU Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die
  • Iridescent Ice Embossing powder, Embossing Budy, Powder Pal, Heat tool, pop-up glue dot and Stampin’ Sponges
  • Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon, Rich Razzleberry polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, and Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware flower ribbon slide

Do you like it?  I do!  I wouldn’t say it’s my absolute all time favorite, but I’m happy with it – especially considering how much I’ve agonized in the past, and by contrast, how naturally this card came together.  I was working with the color combination for a bag topper for my ribbon share, and decided that with a few changes it would make a great card.  The changes grew and expanded and the Mojo Sketch suddenly popped into my head.  Maybe the reason I’m so happy with this card is that it flowed from that point.

If you’ve never tried a sketch challenge, there are an abundance of them.  Here’s the MojoMonday site.  You can also find them in a multitude of blogs and stamping community sites.

The photo doesn’t pick it up, but there’s Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint Magic Elixer (1/4 tsp shimmer paint with 3-5 Tbsp of rubbing alcohol in a mist bottle) on the sentiment.  It goes on everything these days – we even used it on my girlfriend’s Halloween costume!

The moral of this story?  You may have to kiss a lot of card stock before you find your Mojo!

Journey into Autumn

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Spending time on the Mainland this month has put me in an Autumnal mood.  Living in Hawaii our seasons are defined a little differently; we have mango season, lychee season, whale season, and tourist season.   I love the colors and the setting sun – I’m sure it’s setting.  The sky has that hazy glow and the silhouetted grasses are dry as can be.

Autumn_Days_brayer

  • Autumn Days Stamp Set
  • Dusty Durango, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla card stock
  • Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, More Mustard, and Summer Sun Classic Stamp Pad
  • Autumn Harvest Rub-ons, Always Artichoke narrow grosgrain ribbon, brayer

This card is another creation from my marvelous friend and upline, Crystal.  I love her style.

Surprise! It’s a tree!

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This tree is about as different from yesterday’s tree as you can get.  Soft, sophisticated, really a classy tree.  No Googly eyes here.

I suppose this could have been a sympathy card.  That’s what I needed, and that’s what I intended to make when I pulled down the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set.  Somewhere along the way it took a very slight detour – it could still be a sympathy card, but that wasn’t what I saw as it came together.

Thoughts_n_Prayers_grommet

  • Thoughts and Prayers stamp sets; Cornelli Lace wheel
  • Old Olive, Kraft, Soft Suede and Whisper White cardstock; Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper
  • Old Olive Classic Ink pad; Old Olive and Soft Suede Stampin’ Write markers
  • Jumbo Basic Grommets; Old Olive 1 1/4″ Stripe Grosgrain ribbon

I like the simplicity of this layout.  It complements the elegance of the tree.  I also love that Cornelli Lace wheel and can’t believe it took me almost half the catalog year to notice it.  You would think my constant poring over the catalog would have caused me to spot it sooner.  In case you’ve missed it, it’s on page 64 of the Idea Book and Catalog.  Item # 115624, $8.50.  A bargain.

Crystal’s Spooky Branches

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What is it with me and trees these days?

I am crazy about cards with trees…spring trees, autumn trees, soft trees, stark trees, trees with eyes…

This card is from the amazing Crystal, who by the way has been freed from the confines of her sofa.  Do you love the Googly eyes or is it just me?  I think I need to send an email to Demonstrator Support requesting that Stampin’ Up! add Googly eyes to the product line.  There are SO many uses for them.

Crystals_Hallloween_Branches

  • Season of Friendship and Teeny Tiny Wishes Stamp Sets
  • Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pine, More Mustard and Glossy White card stock
  • Basic Black, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink pad
  • Round tab punch, 1 3/8″ circle punch, brayer, Stampin’ Sponges
  • Googly eyes

Up, Up and Away!

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Who’s old enough to remember that tune?

We did this card at my hostess club this past week.  It was a lot of fun, and everyone agreed it had a great WOW factor.  I know it’s a winner when I hear that kids and spouses really loved the card.

Sweet_Centers_Balloon_closed

The colors from this card were directly driven by the M&M’s.  I also decided to use the slider technique that allows the recipient to access the candy without ripping up the card.  It just so happened that there was a lot of media attention recently focused on a balloon, and with my admittedly twisted sense of humor, I decided to embellish the tag with a nod to the Boy in the Balloon:

Sweet_Centers_Balloon_open

  • Sweet Centers, Teeny Tiny Wishes, All in the Family and Best Wishes and More stamp sets
  • Real Red, Yoyo Yellow, Brilliant Blue and Whisper White card stock; Designer Series Paper scraps
  • Real Red and Brilliant Blue Classic Stampin’ Pad
  • Real Red and Yoyo Yellow Stampin’ Write Markers
  • 1 3/4″ Circle punch, Tag Corner punch, Sweet Treat cups, piercing template, Mini glue dots, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Whale season

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It’s a little early…but I’ve seen the first Humpback…

Animal_Stories_Whale_crop

  • Animals Stories and Family Phrases stamp sets
  • So Saffron Classic Ink pad and Whisper White Craft Ink pad;  Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write marker
  • Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, and Very Vanilla cardstock; Tall Tales Designer Series Paper
  • So Saffron 5/8″ grosgrain; Chocolate Chip 1/4″ grosgrain

OK, so it’s not a Humpback, and we hardly ever see them until at least the end of October.  But I am really looking forward to seeing them out there in the Pacific again.  There’s something so amazing about seeing just a little sliver of shining black skin break the surface of the water, knowing that beyond that sliver is a school-bus sized whale that can propel it’s entire body out of the water.  It never ceases to astonish me, and during whale season I love to sit on the beach and just watch for a spout, flipper slap, or distinctive tail sighting.  And maybe, just maybe, a breach.

Check out the National Marine Sanctuary and the Hawaii Whale Research Foundation for more information.

I’ll be sure to let you know when they arrive.