Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Less is More 25...Buttons and Ribbons


I made this card for Less is More's challenge 25, this week's challenge is to use a button or ribbon...I used both!
I had a ribbon hole maker( very loud hammer hitting metal tool) and made two slits, threaded my $1.97 ribbon from Walmart through the slits and put some dark brown floss through wooden leaf button(Joann's).  Added sentiment(verse from Verve) to panel and popped up and popped up again on white card.

AND...I decided to put up my first attempt, but this one doesn't qualify...I thought there wasn't enough white space...but thought the Papertrey Berry Sorbet colored card, buttons and ribbon were just too "sweet"...so here it is:
I know...nothing original under the sun, but fun to make, anyway.   I am trying hard to start thinking out of the box when I stamp, but unlike so many other incredible stampers...I have to work REALLY hard at it...so I'm working on it...but not this card...it's still ok to just make a row of button flowers and add ribbon and sentiment...and you know...I like it!!  The ink, card, buttons, and ribbon are Papertrey Ink Berry Sorbet, the other ink and paper Early Espresso.  Flowers stamped on bazzill white, the sentiment Hero Arts and pink twine threaded through buttons.

Thanks for looking, hope you have a great day!!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

MojoMonday 200!!

Congratulations, Julee Tilman, on your 200th MojoMonday sketch and challenge!!  When I came back into stamping two years ago, after having left for seven years(and TOTALLY starting over after giving all but a couple favorite stamps away), MojoMonday was a challenge I would look at and tell myself...wow...those are incredible cards...that is one challenge that's out of my league...kind of like the grouchy ladybug who would say, "Oh, you're not BIG enough."...well I would tell myself, "Oh, you're not GOOD enough."  Well, last year, around my one year back into stamping anniversary(yes, we can ALL have anniversaries), I decided it was time to step out of my comfort zone, and  decided to conquer my biggest stamping fear, MojoMonday!  I can't tell you how liberating it was for me...and how much fun!  I am a clean and simple stamper...I have discovered my style...that's who I am...that's what I do.  I am a puzzle maker, though, too, and LOVE putting pieces together.  I  love to take the Mojo Monday sketches and although I may not be the most creative banana of the bunch, I can interpret literally pretty good and make cards true to my style.  I have LOVED the fact that no matter if you are a stamper who is clean and simple like me, or one who is super creative, or loves lots of layers and "foof"(as I call it:)!)...all cards are admired and valued on MojoMonday...the diversity is wonderful...all this to say...WAY TO GO, JULEE and TEAM!!  Thank you for the wonderful sketches, and inspiring us with your creativity!!
Here's the sketch:
And here's my card:
The colors are a result of inspiration from wrapping paper at Target I saw while out shopping with my daughter yesterday.  The only thing I will say is that I stamped the flower twice, one on white paper and again on blue with black ink and then polka dotted over both the white and blue in versamark and clear embossed...just so you know.  OK, I talked enough..it was fun... thanks for looking, hope your day is great!

Things I used:
Stamps: Stampin up Dot Dot Dot, Hero Arts Sew Me Flower Jewel, Stampendous Party Invite
Paper: textured taken with teal, bazzill white, black the lighter  blue unknown, polka dotted from Mike's
Ink: stazon black, versamark
Extras: SU border punch, white enamel accents, large black brad., lacey square nestie, ribbon from Mike's, pop up dots

Monday, July 18, 2011

Less is More...Circles

I had time to play in my stamp room yesterday and came up with a few cards for Less is More's 24th challenge...a card made having circles on it:
This is my Hero Arts card...made with a new set of flowers I just got(Dotted Flowers) and sentiment as well(Friends).  Used Marina Mist, Bashful Blue and black . Used various circle punches and dotted them amongst the flowers.  Masked the sentiment and used black and marina mist for that.  Popped up panel.
This is my Papertrey Ink card...cherry stems from Everyday Button Bits, the sentiment from Signature Greetings, the buttons also PTI. Popped up panel.
This was made from a Clean and Simple sketch( I LOVE their sketches when I need inspiration). Punched circles with 1" punch and added sentiment(Hero ArtsThinking of You) and popped up on A Muse Bubblegum card.

Thanks, Mandi and Chrissie, for this blog and the wonderful challenges...It sounds funny putting fun and challenged in the same sentence...but you make it fun being challenged!!  Thank you!!!

Clean and Simple 149

I made these cards for Clean and Simple's 149 challenge with this sketch:



This sketch was a bit difficult to work with for me, and my cards are perhaps a bit boring and quite a bit alike, but I had fun...and that IS what's important...well, and that you like your cards, too!  Sometimes I LOVE my cards, sometimes LIKE my cards, and then there are those that you never see...only the "circular file"!  These I LIKE...and that's good!

Things I used:
Stamps: Verve Great Friend, Papertrey Ink Gracious Vases, Stampin Up Cherries, Papertrey Ink Signature Greetings
 Paper: Riding Hood Red, papertrey white, dp from Mike's, More Mustard, black, bazzill black, bazzill polka dotted
 Ink: Riding hood Red, More Mustard, Old Olive, Stazon black
 Extras: SU and EK border punches, White and Black enamel accents, black nail head stick ons, pop up dots, clear embossing powder(sentiments)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Clean and Simple 148

Here's the sketch for this week's Clean and Simple challenge:
This is what I made with it:
In cleaning my stamp room...I have discovered a LOT of things I had long forgotten about.  I had purchased a big stamp set from Gina K Designs which came with paper, design paper and ribbon of various colors...this dp, yellow card and circle around the sentiment are Gina K as well as the ribbon.  I added daffodil delight for the top and bottom circles.  It's been fun "rediscovering" and using some stored away supplies!! The circles were a bit intimidating...I think circles do that to me...and then when I chose to use the yellow dp....I couldn't make the circles work...but I'm pretty happy with some embossing and added Enamel Accents to work with the dp.  Thanks for looking, have a great day!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Birthday Basics
 Paper: Gina K, daffodil delight, bazzill white
Ink:stazon black
Extras: flowered embossing folder, GKD ribbon, white enamel accents, circle punch, circle nestie, SU tri flower punch

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Less is More...One Layer...Legs

 I made this card for Simply Less is More's challenge 23...to make a one layer card with something that has legs.
I decided on one of my tiniest wood mounted stamps...my scottie dog:


Used a piece of removable tape to make a line for the scotties and my stamp-a-ma-jig to position them.  Colored their bows with Poppy Parade, and added a red rhinestone to each bow.  Scored lines beneath them and added sentiment!  My free time has been tough, these days, so this is short and sweet...hope to get to the gallery tonight, and hope I can make some comments before the "sleepies" get me:)!!
Thanks for looking!!

Things I used:
Stamps: scottie Inkadinkado, Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames 1
Paper: Papertrey Ink white
Ink: stazon black, poppy parade
Extras: Martha Stewart scoreboard, red rhinestones, clear embossing powder, stamp-a-ma-jig

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

One Layer Wednesday 61...Clouds

Under the wire...I made this card for OLW...to make a one layer card with clouds:
Sponged Baja Breeze for the clouds and stamped wild wasabi for the leaves and verse.  Super simple...thanks for looking, have a great night!!

I Things I used:
Stamps:Verve, stems DRS Designs
 Paper: Bazzill white
 Ink: baja breeze wild wasabi
 Extras:

Enjoy the Sun

While trying to make a card for yesterday's SCS's Clean and Simple challenge with a 3 layer scallop idea, I made a bunch of die cut zig zags by Papertrey Ink in various colors.  I had the thought of waves and water, so this morning, I made this:
It took 4 stamp companies to pull it together, but I think they all work so sweetly together:)!  The sailboat is Verve, the sun Hero Arts, the sentiment Gina K Designs and the "waves" Papertrey Ink.  Paper pieced the sailboat and sun...now I must sail away(but not out into the sunshine...it's expected to reach 100 degrees here today)!!  Thanks for looking, have a great day...stay cool out there:)!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Verve Text Objects, Hero Arts Kiss from the Sun, Gina K Designs Enjoy the Sunshine
Paper: bazzill white, cool caribbean, tempting turquoise, pumpkin pie, so saffron, dp from Mikes
 Ink:So Saffron, stazon black
Extras: Papertrey Ink Rick rack die, clear embossing powder

Monday, July 11, 2011

Shades of Brown Birthday

SplitcoastStamper's clean and simple challenge today was based on this pretty card:
I didn't have any large scallops, but had just gotten a MFT die that, when layered like this one, adding some pearls and ribbon, I came up with:
I used 2 colors of kraft paper scraps I had and a scrap of early espresso to make the layers. Added a sentiment from Hero Arts.  Quick and easy...just like this post...now it's off to finish my work in my stamp room...just made a stamp pad holder from foam board(my second, but much better built than the first!!)...holds 60 SU stamp pads.
thanks for taking a look, hope you have a great day!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Hero Arts
 Paper: bazzill white, early espresso, kraft
Ink:early espresso
 Extras: stick on pearls, My Favorite Things crochet die, SU early espresso ribbon, clear embossing powder

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Mojo Monday 198

It seems like...no, it has been ages since I've posted a card.  I have been busy redoing my stamp room...what a job!  My stamp room is a space in my daughter's former bedroom.  She got married last September, and although her bed and dresser are still here for when she and hubby Nic visit, I have taken any remaining space(and the room plus a laundry room, was made from 1/2 the garage, so it wasn't very big to begin with) and continue on in my quest to make the very most of the space I have .  I should have taken "before" pictures, but will take a couple pics when I have it done, to show you "my space"...I am pretty happy, so far.  It's amazing what you can do with a small space!!
I made a couple cards for MojoMonday 198...here's the sketch:
And, based on a look at a Pottery Barn catalog, while waiting in front of one of their stores the other day for my daughter, I was impressed with some outdoor furniture that was wooden with poppy red cushions:
Made with stamps from Annabelle, Verve(sentiment) and stems are RubberSoul. Stamped the same flowers with Versamark on the poppy panel for dimension.
I also decided on another set of stamps by Verve and made this card:
The sketch was pretty simple, which I loved, but the banners(ribbon) panels were a bit of a challenge for me. I wanted to make this sailboat a little more "girly" so used flowered dp and rose red for a base. Drew the lines around the square.

I will put both in the Mojo gallery...it was my fun in the midst of chaos!  Thanks for looking, have a great night.

Things I used:
Stamps:Annabelle, Verve , RubberSoul
Paper: Bazzill white, SU dp, soft suede, sahara sand, poppy parade, rose red
Ink: soft suede, stazon black, versamark
Extras:polka dot embossing folder , ek border punch, bird punch(leaves), brads, ribbon, Enamel Accents

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Five Panels and a Vase

SplitcoastStampers had a Clean and Simple Challenge on July 4th, and I made this card for the first of the many challenges, but in the end, thought it had a bit too much going on to put there, but thought I would put it here:)!:
I stamped the image, and stamped again in yellow, blue, green and white, cut out the pieces and added them to stamped image...popping up flower. Popped up panel on embossed and cut panels and added sentiment(I think a little too little)...added white enamel accents and a sparkly black stick on dot.

Things I used:
Stamps: stampendous, Stampin Up Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper:papertrey ink white, textured taken with teal and apricot appeal, bazzill green polka dotted, plain taken with teal
 Ink: stazon black
Extras: white enamel accents, black stick on, embossing folder, pop up dots, clear embossing powder

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Framed Birthday Card

It was my daughter's 20th birthday, today!  Between pizza and ice cream cake, I decided to put the card I made for her last night on the blog!  Here's what I made for her:
I used paper from Mike's, bazzill polka dotted, and the black dotted is also from Mike's.  I used a flower stamp from PTI, stamped and cut out 8 flowers.  I dotted with white enamel accents and stamped the stems with a SU stamp. I cut the stems with a petite oval nestie and made the frame from a smaller oval and larger scalloped petite oval.  I taped the black paper on a piece of chipboard and used the dies to cut out. Layered on another piece of bazzill polka dotted and added PTI sentiment. Thanks for looking...I hope your Wednesday is wonderful!!
Things I used: 
Stamps: Stampin Up Thanks from the Heart, Papertrey Ink Beautiful Blooms and Birthday Basics
Paper: bazzill white, bazzill polka dotted pink, purple and red, black polka dotted dp from Mike's 
Ink: stazon black
Extras: pink ribbon, white Enamel Accents, petite oval and scalloped oval nesties, clear embossing powder, pop up dots

Clean and Simple 147

I hope everyone had a great July 4th!!  We  grilled chicken...that is until the SEVERE thunder and lightning storms rolled in with the torrential rains...we only grilled 1/2 the chicken we were going to grill...oh well more for another day!  Today is my daughter's 20th birthday, so I made her a birthday card, will post next...but I had fun playing in my stamp room this weekend...here are a couple.
This was this week's sketch for Clean and Simple's challenge 147:
I made a couple:

I made them both with the same size circles, same sentiment, same Enamel Accents, same borders and both are 4 1/4" square...what can I say, it all worked for me!!  Used a stamp set for the first and a flower punch for the second.  Popped up both sets of panels.  Thought it was a tough challenge when I first looked at it, but  after punching the circles, wound up coming together.
Thanks for looking, have a great day:)!!
Things I used:
Stamps: Silhouette Sentiments, Hero Arts Friends
Paper: bazzill white, bashful blue, not quite navy, brocade blue, SU design paper
Ink: stazon black, brocade blue
Extras: stick on white dots, SU border punch, flower punch, circle punches, white enamel accents, striped embossing folder, clear embossing powder, pop up dots

Friday, July 1, 2011

One Layer Wednesday...Quick Layers of Ink

I made these cards for One Layer Wednesday 60...the challenge:
 Make a card that layers ink. USE ONLY STAMPED IMAGES AND/OR SENTIMENTS.No masking, no sponging, no embellishments of any kind!  I got out a stamp set I had purchased on ebay  and made these:


The set has 4 stamps...one has 9 circles...so I used my stamp a ma jig and pigment ink from A Muse(the dye inks didn't work so good with these old stamps.,. and stamped.  I cut the card down to 4"...then there were no cut off circles and same length and width of circles.  Added sentiment from Stampendous.

And then I took the rectangle from the same set, and swiped distress ink over the stamp(again dye inks just didn't work...uneven coverage)...and with a long flower stamp and a sentiment from PTI, made this:


I made it on textured paper, too...my DD, Emma liked it better on PTI  white, instead, but here's the other:

These only took minutes, each, but it was fun and kinda "freeing" to have such "limitations" to my card making...it was nice knowing I could make a card in minutes if I had to:)!!
Things I used:
 Stamps: Stampin Up Great Shapes, Stampendous, Papertrey Ink Through the Trees, Tim Holtz
Paper: Papertrey Ink white, Bazzill white
 Ink:  A Muse bubblegum and papaya, distressed linen, soft suede and stazon black
Extras:

Mojo Monday 197

I made this card for Mojo Monday challenge 197 found HERE :
Here's the sketch:
I chose the square(as I always do:)!)...but my color choices were a bit more difficult.  I initially thought of kraft , brown, and cream, but thought of my designer paper from Michael's and with the flower in the sketch, thought I would let that have the  pop of color, so went with black and white with a  teal flower.  SUPER simple...tried to add some silver pearls, but less is more...I thought there was enough going on with the paper:)!!  Stamped flower, cut out...added enamel accents.  Used a Sizzix die for the leaves and Verve stamp with BEAUTIFUL sentiment...I am loving this for ALOT of occasions...what's not got LOVE in it???  I thought this might be a wedding card??  Added ribbon and popped up panel and flower. 
Thanks for looking...I love these square sketches...fast, easy and with only 4 1/4" square to work with, it's easy to stay simple!

Things I used:
Stamps: Verve Text Objects and Great Friend
 Paper: Papertrey Ink white, black, Textured Taken with Teal, dp from Michael's
 Ink: stazon black
Extras: Sizzix Flowers, Branches and Leaves Die, SU ribbon, Enamel Accents, pop up dots, clear embossing powder