A Teal Thank You and Chemistry for a Chemist

I made this card for Clean and Simple's challenge 142:

This is the sketch:

I used a stamp from Papertrey Ink to make the background and a frame stamp and sentiment from A Muse Stamps.  Didn't really know what to do with the button on the sketch, so I opted for a ribbon slide(buckle).

I decided to put up this card, too, that I made for my mom to give my dad for their anniversary.  My dad was a research chemist until he retired some years ago.  He still teaches chemistry at their area community college...amazingly smart man, and happily married to my mom for 55 years!!!  I found this in the latest copy of Card Creations:

Based on this card by Kim Hughes (the pattern is available through the Paper Crafts website):

Thanks, Kim, for the great inspiration...and the patterns!!

I used the pattern and cut the gray beaker, cut the red liquid after embossing it (didn't have right design paper and thought this pattern resembled bubbles). Added candy dot-like stick on beads and computer generated sentiment. Popped up beaker on  black card.

Things I used:
Stamps: 1st: Papertrey Ink Larger Than Life, A Muse StampsVintage Labels and Avian Notes
              2nd: None
Paper: 1st: Taken with Teal, bazzill white
           2nd: SU gray, poppy parade, bazzill black. gina k white
 Ink: 1st: versamark, stazon black
        2nd: none
Extras: 1st: ribbon slide(buckle), clear embossing powder, scor buddy, eclipse art tape(masking), pop up dots
           2nd: patterns, red stick on beads

Thanks for looking, have a great day!!

Mojo Monday 193

I made this card for Mojo Monday's sketch challenge #193 :

Here are both sketches:

This was very simply done with 2 different papers (the flowered one was given to me, so I don't know who made it....the other is bazzill polka dot embossed) and a verse from Verve with stamped flower made with a Papertrey Ink stamp.  I popped up the center panel and added the black satin ribbon over the center panel and the 2 polka dotted panels.  Added the flower with a pink pearl for it's center. All panels placed on a black square card 4 1/4" square/

Thanks for looking, hope you have a great night:)!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Verve (verse), Papertrey Ink
Paper: black, bazzill embossed polka dots and white, dp (SU?...double sided)
Ink: stazon black
Extras: SU satin ribbon, pop up dots

Less is More...Pick a Square

Happy Wednesday!!  My wonderful sister came into town last Friday and left last night...so I have not been posting cards or getting to many blogs in a while.  Having her visit...and especially over the Memorial Day weekend was sweet and we had SUCH a nice time, but I am back and will be getting back to looking at all the cards I didn't get to last week!  Oh what fun I have been having in my "haven"...I am so happy to be stamping again!!
I made this card for Less is More's challenge17...

This card's design had 5 squares, of which we were to choose one of the squares for our design and leave the other 4 as pure white space...or in my case So Saffron space. We were allowed to put the sentiment outside the square...which was great because I did!! The card is 4 1/4" square, the center square is 2 1/2", the frame an extra 1/16" on each side.
I used a stamp from Memory Box...stamped in black and dotted with Liquid Pearls. I framed in black and popped up on textured cardstock.  Added a small sentiment in corner and clear embossed.  Super simple...SUPER FUN!!
Things I used:
Stamps: Memory Box, Stampin Up Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: Bazzill white and black, textured So Saffron
Ink: stazon black
Extras: clear embossing powder, Ranger Liquid Pearls Buttercup, pop up dots

One Layer Wednesday...Snoopy

I made this card for One Layer Wednesday's challenge 55... the challenge this week is cats and dogs.  I could only think of one dog stamp I had until I thought of this Snoopy and Woodstock stamp I bought to make a card for my dad(he LOVES the Peanuts cartoons).  This was perfect...as I had meant to use it when I got it, but hadn't (do you ever do that??)...and found a sentiment that was so fitting, as he lives almost 700 miles away...and I think they both look like they're smiling?!!:

Stamped, colored and added sentiment...this was an easy one for me....yeah...thanks, Jennifer:)!!
And thanks for looking...hope you have a happy day!!
Things I used:
Stamps: Stampablilities, Papertrey Ink Everyday Button Bits
Paper: Papertrey white
Ink:Stazon black, real red, gray, summer sun, crumb cake, silver pen
 Extras: clear embossing powder

MORE Less is More Butterflies!

I was just having so much fun with butterflies, I decided to make another card...or two:) for Less is More challenge 16!!  The cool thing about making butterflies like this(cutting around their wings) is that you can make them pop off the card without adding more paper.  I made the orange/yellow/blue one first, but like the whimsically colored one a bit better, my second try:

I used a stamp set from Papertrey Ink Butterfly Basics...stamping and embossing the butterflies.  I colored the top card with Sharpie markers, the bottom one with SU markers.  I used this tool and cut around the  butterflies' wings:

Wow..need some nail polish and a manicure:)!!

 It has a tiny razor tip that swivels as you cut...easy peasy cutting!!
I added a sentiment from Papertrey Ink, as well.  Again, what fun!!!!

I opened up the Less is more website to leave some more comments on cards this morning, and saw my card from last week!!  The flood of emotion is hard to describe...shock, joy, honor, shock, more shock and utter happiness...I am truly honored!!!  You have no idea how much this meant to me, thank you, Mandi and Chrissie,  for ShowCASing my card...amongst so many wonderful stampers and cards  I am truly humbled!!
Now, it's back into the gallery....

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Butterfly Dreams, Signature Greetings
Paper: Bazzill white
 Ink: stazon black, SU markers(Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Daffodil Delight, Barely Banana, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Sharpie markers
 Extras: Fiskars cutter, clear embossing powder

Less is More Butterflies

I made this card for Simply Less is More challenge16...to use a butterfly/butterflies on your card:

I used a stamp from Papertrey Ink for the leaves and the butterflies are A Muse.  I stamped the vines, and with a stamp-a-ma-jig and masking 3 of the smaller butterflies, I stamped the black butterflies over the leaves.  I stamped the gingham with a Papertrey Ink stamp and used the stamped paper ,with the A Muse butterfly dies, to cut out the butterflies I popped up on each black one.   I used a sentiment from Verve and dotted each butterfly as well as the sentiment with light green rhinestones.  Here's a close up:

 I popped up the panel on an old olive card.  It's funny...the green ink on the leaves is Certainly celery....the card is Old Olive...but they look like the same color...hmm...funny!!
Thanks for looking...another fun challenge:)!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Turning a New Leaf, Background Basics Gingham, A Muse butterflies, Verve
Paper: Gina K white, black, old olive
Ink:Certainly Celery, Memento black
Extras: Stamp-a-Ma-Jig, A Muse butterfly dies, light green rhinestones, pop up dots

Kraft Cards

I looked at my scrap folders, and my brown/yellow/orange one was busting at the seams, so I decided to make one or more cards to use some of my browns...I came up with 2 so far:)!!
I made this card for MojoMonday 191:

This is the sketch:

I used a stamp set by Annabelle Stamps and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  I stamped the flowers with early espresso onto Papertrey Ink's Berry Sorbet, clear embossed and cut out.  Stamped the stems in Early espresso,and the sentiment, as well. Embossed the kraft card with polka dotted embossing folder...popped up flowers at varying levels and the scalloped circle, as well. Used my white gel pen to color in center flowers and dotted with white Enamel Accents in center.
What a fun sketch...loved its simplicity:)!! 

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

Things I used:
Stamps: Annabelle Stamps Stemmed Flowers, Hero Arts Thinking of you
Paper: Papertrey ink Berry Sorbet, Bazzill Java and white, kraft
 Ink: early espresso
Extras:clear embossing powder, white gel pen, Enamel Accents, SU embossing folder, Papertrey Ink ribbon, brown brads, circle and scalloped nesties, pop up dots


I made this next one for Clean and Simple's FTL141:

The sketch found here:

I used a kraft card, again, with Bazzill Java, again, and some design paper from SU.  I stamped the Martha Stewart butterfly and cut out a regal rose butterfly for the background of the butterfly.  Added Pretty in Pink ribbon.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

Thanks for looking, have a great day:)!!

Thing I used:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Round and Round

Ink: Early Espresso

Paper: SU design paper, kraft, Bazzill Java, white, regal rose

Extras: Martha Stewart butterfly punch, scalloped border punch, SU tafeta ribbon, pop up dots

One Layer Wednesday: Baby Cakes

I made this card for One Layer Wednesday #54.  The challenge this week, was to make a baby card based on cakes at a site called Cake Wrecks.  This is the cake I used as my inspiration:

And this is my card:

This is the same card with a closed view and one standing.  I had recently gotten some art masking tape called Eclipse Strips, and they worked perfectly with this card.  I used strips of the tape and sponged with pretty in pink.  I tried every light shade of pink...it's funny with sponging...the colors are SO intense.  The ribbon is Papertrey Ink...BERRY SORBET... and the sentiment is stamped in regal rose...the colors were soooo odd to me...as different as they all were, they seemed to work!  I used EK Success border punch and dotted the holes from the punch with Enamel Accents.  I decided on a bold, big bow as kind of a focal point.  The sentiment is Stampin Up from Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Thanks for looking, hope you have a great day:)!!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Stampin Up Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: bazzill white
Ink: pretty in pink, regal rose
Extras: Papertrey Ink Berry Sorbet ribbon, Eclipse Art Tape, White Enamel Accents, Bow Easy, EK Success border punch, sponge

Hey

I made this card just for the fun of it last night and this morning:

I was getting sleepy last night, and decided to do some stamping and coloring to stay awake:)!  I stamped this image in black and colored with SU markers. I sponged the sky with baja breeze and extended the grass just a bit to fit the sentiment comfortably before trimming the tree:)!!  I found this sentiment  in a set  that I have by Stampendous.  Growing up in Buffalo, NY...when we greeted people, we'd say "hi"...having lived in Southern VA for the last 20 years, I have learned that "true" Southerners say "hey" as their "hi"...so I thought this was perfect...fitting into my little space and fitting my Southern identity:):)!!
Thanks for taking a look, hope your day is sweet:)!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Inkadinkado Stampendous(sentiment)
Paper: bazzill white, soft suede
Ink: soft suede, crumb cake, memento black, wild wasabi, certainly celery, baja breeze, basic gray
Extras: sponge, pop up dots

Long cards

I made these two cards for Clean and Simple's #140 challenge found HERE:

This was the sketch this week:

I made both the cards 4 x 8, so they would fit into business sized envelopes.  I made the polka dotted panels 1/4" smaller than the card.  For the first I stamped the largest A Muse butterfly I had in black and then cut out the smaller butterfly with designer paper and my A Muse butterfly die.  Attached him to the black butterfly and added 3 red rhinestones.  The sentiment is Fiskars.  The second, I used the maple leaf from Papertrey Ink Leaf Prints stamp set and the coordinating die.  The sentiment is from the same Fiskars set.  VERY simple cards...but clean and SIMPLE...that is the name of the game, right??!:)
Thanks for looking, have a great day:)!!

Things I used:
Stamps: A Muse butterfly, Fiskars sentiments, Papertrey Ink Leaf Prints
Paper: Real red, bazzill black, papertrey ink white, soft suede, kraft
 Ink: stazon black, soft suede
Extras: clear embossing powder, A Muse butterfly die, Papertrey Ink leaf die, pop up dots, red rhinestones, polka dot embossing folder

Clean and Simple: Gift

I made this card for  Splitcoaststamper's Clean and Simple 119 challenge...a word challenge: Gift.

Real simple...just used a piece of already embossed paper from bazzill and stamps from Papertrey Ink...the  ribbon and the sentiment.  Framed and popped up and added 3 dark pink rhinestones.

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Make a Wish additions
Paper: bazzill white, black, bazzill pink embossed
Ink: stazon black
Extras: clear embossing powder, dark pink rhinestones, SU 1 1/4"square punch, polka dot embossing folder, scallop scissors(rounding corners), pop up dots
Thanks for looking, hope your day is wonderful:)!!

Less is More Embossing

I made this card for Less is More blog challenge found HERE...the challenge, to use EMBOSSING:

I stamped both the image and sentiment with stazon black and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I colored the butterflies with 2 retired SU markers and dotted with silver pearls.  The ribbon was added because I goofed on stamping the image, and underneath the knot of the ribbon it is bare...the stamp skipped leaving the stem lines on the paper, so I covered the mistake with the ribbon.  This was my umteenth try at this card (the others were too dark, too light, smudged, crooked), so a ribbon was the only choice for my card.  I know we are to keep embellishments to a minimum...hope I didn't overdo:)!!

This card was meant for OLW, but after I completed the card, realized that we were asked to use 2 colors of ink on a card for a New House.  I only used black...which isn't really a color, and definitely not two colors, so decided to put it up with my other, as it is totally embossed.  I used a stamp by Hero Arts, stamped with stazon black and clear embossed with a couple words to form a sentiment from a PTI set.  I got the idea, being this was the only home sentiment I could come up with, to stamp on gray paper to resemble night.  I then took my SU blender pen and dipped it in bleach and colored the windows with bleach...making them look like the windows are lit up...."Welcome Home".    I added the SU cream ribbon to tie in to the windows and ground the houses.

I thank you for looking, what fun!!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Inkadinkado, A Muse Hand Scripted,  #2 Hero Arts, Papertrey Ink Wreath for All Seasons
Paper: Papertrey Ink white, SU gray
Ink: stazon black, taken with teal and bermuda bay markers
Extras: clear embossing powder, silver dots, ribbon from Michael's, #2 stamp positioner, clear embossing powder, bleach and blender pen, SU cream ribbon
Key Ideas:

Less is More White on White

I found the Less is More Challenge blog yesterday...what fun:)!!  I made 2 cards for the White on White challenge:

 This one started with a QuicKutz embossing folder and some Cuttlebug flower dies.  I covered the embossed dots of the folder with die cut flowers and stick on dots and added the die cut leaves over the embossed leaves.  I added the die cut Thank you and popped up the panel on a white card...no stamping, but white:)!

This one I used a stamp set and dies from Papertrey Ink...stamping the leaves with versamark and white embossing.  I used a "thanks from the same die as the first card and popped the leaves and sentiment on the card.  Added little white stick on dots in between the leaves.

I had never done a white-on-white card before...what fun:)!!!  So glad I found Less is More:)!!
I thank you for taking a look, I hope your day is wonderful!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Leaf Prints
Paper: Papertrey Ink white on 1st, bazzill white on 2nd
Ink: versamark
Extras: cuttlebug flower dies, white embossing powder, PTI leaf die, QuicKutz embossing folder,

Daffodil Daisies

I made this card for Splitcoaststamper's Sketch Challenge #332:

This is the sketch:

I made my image panel a little bigger than the sketch...thought it just "fit" better than smaller:)!
I have been making a lot of cards with blue flowers, so opted for daffodil delight with a stamp from Rubbernecker Stamp Co. and a gingham stamp as well as sentiment from Papertrey Ink.  I made it pretty simple...minimal layers...and thought it could use some embellishments, but in the end decided less is more, and that it was ok to have empty spaces!  I masked the flowers and stems and dotted the flower middles with black Enamel Accents.  I LOVE that stuff...in this case, when the centers of the flowers aren't perfectly round and pearls or stick on dots don't fit just right, squirt some Enamel Accents on in the shape you want...and they "look" like pearls or dots...WAY COOL!!!  Used some black twisted burlap twine I purchased on ETSY  and made a tag for my sentiment.  A polka dotted embossing folder, and done:)!!
Things I used:
Stamps: Rubbernecker Stamp Co. Flower Silhouettes, Papertrey Ink Background Basics Gingham and Floral Frenzy
Paper: Daffodil Delight, Papertrey Ink white, black
Ink: Daffodil Delight, stazon black
Extras: clear embossing powder, burlap twine, black enamel accents, polka dot embossing folder, pop up dots, hole punch
Thanks for taking a look, hope your day is wonderful:)!!

Round and Round One Layer

I made this card for One Layer Wednesday's challenge #52 the challenge found HERE.

The challenge was to use a circle or multiple circles on your card...one layer.  I thought of lots of stamp sets before settling on Papertrey Ink's Father Knows Best which has this tree with a treeful of circles!  I used Versa mark and white embossing powder on tree and sentiment...then used my white gel pen to ground the tree.  Added 3 magenta rhinestones...and done:)!!  Rounded 2 of the corners, too:)!

Congratulations, Susan, on one year of OLW challenges...WHAT FUN!!  

Things I used: 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Father Knows Best, Inkadinkado Expressions

Paper: black

 Ink:versamark

 Extras: white embossing powder and gel pen, magenta rhinestones

Thanks for looking, hope you have a wonderful day:)!!

Mother's Day in Pink

I made this card for Splitcoaststamper's Sketch Challenge 331:

Here is the sketch:

I flipped the sketch on it's side.  I used some designer paper that I got in a big package from Mike's and two stamp sets, one from Stampin up, the other from Verve.  I used my piercing grid and penciled in dots around the card, and then dotted them with white Enamel Accents.  A pretty simple card...but happy I got to the challenge, even though it was a day late.  This sketch "looked" a little involved for me, but not framing any of the panels, it was pretty easy:)!!
Things I used:
Stamps: Stampin Up Pocket Silhouettes, Verve Because of You
Paper: Papertrey Ink white, design paper from Mike's
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, stazon black
Extras: embossing folder, Enamel Accents, pink rhinestones, pop up dots, clear embossing powder

Thanks for looking, hope your day is great:)!!

Simply Susan

Susan Raihala (LateBlossom)  is the Featured Stamper at Splitcoaststampers this week!  She is an amazing woman and artist, and I LOVE her work!!  I have a whole folder of pictures of her cards in my computer...she rocks clean and simple!!  Not only are her cards amazing, but her blog is a constant source of insight, technique and humor...I have learned SO MUCH from her!!  I chose one of the cards from my folder to make...only when I made one, I just couldn't stop...so I made THREE!!

I made them based on this card:

My cards have a bit bigger top panel than Susan's card... they are all different sizes dependent on the size of the sentiment.
What fun this was!!!  Thank you, Susan for the art of simplicity in stamping...you make simplicity beautiful...and so much fun!!

Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Polka Dot Basics, Birthday Basics and Beyond Basic Borders, Stampendous
Paper: Papertrey Ink White, cool caribbean, daffodil delight, A Muse Bubblegum
Ink: cool caribbean, daffodil delight, A Muse Bubblegum, stazon black
Extras: EK flower punch, black stick on dots, clear embossing powder, black gingham ribbon, pop up dots

Flower Power

I made this card for Clean and Simple's blog challenge 138, found HERE.

This is the sketch:

I know now, after making it, that the sketch was a square...but when I made it, all I saw was the design, so it is a standard sized card....let me tell you.  When I first read the info on the sketch..the words exactly:
 "Remember, it's sometimes best to plan out your images a little bit. Get some scrap paper, see what looks best before committing to your design."  
Well...a whole bunch of paper later...these words, though soft, need to be strongly heeded when taking on this challenge!!!  I had to go through a LOT of paper before I found a design...flowers AND positions....that I liked.  
It seems, sometimes, that what appear to be the simplest looking cards are actually REALLY complex...I think this was one of those.  
Then, there was the frame....oh boy!!  I watched the tutorial on Nichole's blog to learn how to draw a frame...and another bunch of paper later...well this card has been exhausting!!  I wound up DRAWING the frame...my daughter encouraged my weary attitude by saying that she thought it went better with these flowers than a straight frame, anyway...love that girl:)!!  To me, the biggest challenge to a challenge like this is finishing and NOT giving up.  Persistence...and now the challenge is conquered!! WHEW!!!  I used a couple stamps from Papertrey Ink and a sentiment from Hero Arts.  Used black stick on dots for centers of flowers and throughout the line of flowers...Free style lines:):):)!!  


Things I used:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Beautiful Blooms II, Hero Arts Friends
Paper: Papertrey Ink white, bazzill black
Ink: Cool Caribbean, certainly celery, stazon black
Extras: stick on dots, clear embossing powder, marker, pop up dots


Thanks for taking a look, hope your day is wonderful:)!!

Triplet Baby Blues

I made not one or two, but 3 cards cards for Splitcoaststamper's Clean and Simple challenge117...this week's challenge is a color challenge and we are to make a card using chocolate, sand, baby blue and white.  I only have bashful blue marker, but had some paper, so I did blue flowers...one colored with markers, one punched and one cut out. Here is the colored one:

I stamped in early espresso, colored with bashful blue and brocade blue, added ribbon and bow(with Bow Easy), popped up, added cool button- in- a- button(my sand color), and versamarked "hello", embossed with white powder.

  Here's the punched one:

 These window cards always intimidated me a bit, but this card took maybe 20  minutes to make from start to finsh, the frame was easy...I've included a picture of the how I did it...just so you could see how super easy it is!
I cut the white paper to 5 1/4"x 4" and with the 1 3/8" Stampin Up square punch, I punched 4 squares with the non sticky ends of post it notes(the sticky on stick it notes is too sticky and unevenly sticky...hard to work with)...or any scrap paper(colored is best, so you can see them against the white).

 I eye balled the squares onto the white panel, positioning them equidistance between top, sides and each other...making sure they were straight.  I used a little adhesive tape under each square to attach them to  the white panel.

 I then used the square punch and punched out the orange squares:

 What you have left is the window frame:

Super simple...ok...positioning is not SUPER simple...but start in one corner...position one at a time...make sure you only put a very little adhesive on the back...so they just stick...then they're not at all hard to move around...and it will only take minutes to achieve great windows:)!!!

I punched and embossed the flowers, used my Bow Easy to make the bow, and added 1/8" foam stickers on the back of the white panel to pop it up.  I also used my stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment.


I made  the third card with a much loved stamp set from Papertrey Ink, stamping the flowers with early espresso, clear embossing and cutting out.

I made the middles by stamping the circles in the same stamp set  with early espresso and dotting them with a lot of Diamond Glaze and allowing it to dry...they dry kind of lumpy, then sticking the centers onto the flowers.  After making the flowers, I still had the sand color of the challenge to use, so I got the idea to make a punched border behind the flowers.  Some time ago, I had seen a demo showing how to punch a border panel with Martha Stewart edge punches on the Michael's website. I decided to try a different edge punch and see what it looked like...this is what I did :
Put a 1" piece of dark brown paper in the punch at a specific place(the dip in the design)

 and punch the whole strip across.

 Then you line the unpunched side at the exact same place on the OTHER SIDE of the punch(at the same dip):

 And this is what you get:

 Just for the heck of it...here are a couple more...this one it the one I used to make a card when I saw it on the Michael's website:

 And here's yet another one:  these are the only 3 I have like this, but it seems to work on them all....I thought it was really cool:)!!:

To finish the card, I used a strip of kraft behind the punched border...I think it was 3/4" wide...not sure.
Layered  on bazzill white and added a Papertrey Ink sentiment.

Things I used:
Stamps: Penny Black, Stampendous,  Stampin Up Teeny Tiny Wishes, Papertrey Ink Beautiful Blooms, Birthday Basics
Paper: Bashful Blue, Bazzill white and Java, Papertrey Ink white, kraft
Ink: Early Espresso, bashful blue, brocade blue
Extra: Martha Stewart Daisy and border punches, Stampin Up square and 1/2" circle punches, embossing folders, diamond glaze, SU ribbon, pop up dots, clear embossing powder, Bow Easy

I thank you for looking, I hope you have a GREAT day:)!!!