The Play Date Cafe Challenge 120

A little over 2 years ago, when I reentered the stamping world after an almost 10 year leave, I joined Splitcoaststampers and put my first card on the internet on January 1, 2010....that was a HUGE deal for me!!  I got involved in all the various challenges there, but it wasn't too long before several things happened. Among those being, I found I was really intimidated by color challenges and inspiration challenges.  I did the clean and simple and sketch challenges, but left the color and inspiration challenges for others to attempt!!  Why do I tell you all this????  This year, my resolution in the area of stamping is go back to those places of difficulty that I ran from and still tend to run from, and challenge myself to grow in the area of multi color  and inspiration challenges!! I have begun joining challenges with more of those flavors, and it is still a little hard for me, but NOW it doesn't seem nearly so impossible to create!  I decided after seeing the pictures on a whole bunch of blogs, to join The Play Date Cafe Challenge...a color WITH inspiration challenge...talk about challenge...lol!!!  I used Mellow Moss, Calypso Coral (the closest orange I had to Orangesicle)and Bashful blue...

I am loving the morning light  in my kitchen window for picture taking...

 I used a Papertrey Ink set Background Basics:Circles and a little sentiment set from Hero Arts (Just Wanted CL175).

I stamped the sentiment, then stamped the circles on either side...an easy stamp...just make sure to use a gridded block to help with straightness.  I colored with markers, and decided to try dotting with Glossy Accents to give the circles some dimension and texture.  I think it darkened the colors a bit, but also intensified the colors, if that makes sense.  Here's a close up to show you what it  looks like:

Thanks for bearing with my ramblings, today...Hope you have a wonderful day!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays 41...Jest for the Pun of it!

When I saw the challenge for CAS-ual Fridays...Jest for the Pun of it ...I immediately thought of a card I had done a week or so ago, that was too PUNNY...so I went on that thought and made this...it's subtle...but I couldn't resist...

The last card I made with a like kind of sentiment, I made kind of "cutesie"...this one I was going for a "prettier" kind of look and feel...used a sentiment from Hero Arts(Good Friends)  that used  fancier script with  Papertrey heart die and an EK Success punch for the Papertrey felt, hearts.  Popped up the panel.  What a PUN challenge:)!!
Thank you to the DT of CAS-ual Fridays for the VIP recognition of my Tie One On birthday card...I am honored and thrilled!!  How cool is it to  be acknowledged for having so much fun??!!  Thanks so very much!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Flowery Birthday Card

This is one of those cards that took on a life of it's own...started off with simple squares...added border squares...then punched flowers...die cut centers...not quite what I usually do...but ...sometimes different is ok:

I made this card with the leftovers from the latest Runway Inspired Challenge...the squares, that is...the rest...well, like I said, it took on a life of it's own.  I was convinced, though, with the dark colors which were TOTALLY more masculine, to me, that I COULD make a feminine looking card....I JUST HAD TO!!...Used an EK Success flower punch and the dot of the "j" from a Papertrey letter die for the centers.  The sentiment is also Papertrey Ink(Think Big Favorites #12). The paper is DCWV Shimmer matstack.   Here' a side view to show you the shininess of the paper...kind of cool:)...

Ok...I'm done for the day...hope your day is wonderful!!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Runway Inspired Challenge 6..#2

A second card for Runway Inspired Challenge 6 ...with more of the squares that I die cut:)!!

Rounded corners of squares and layered on chipboard.  The sentiment is Hero Arts(Truly Appreciated). Here's the model that it's based on:

The paper is DCWV Shimmer matstack.   Here's a side view to show you the shininess of the paper to mimick the shininess of the model's outfit:

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Runway Inspired Challenge 6

I made this card for Runway Inspired Challenge 6 ...here's the card...

   

And the model the card was based on:

 

I used a total of 7 nesties out of the large and small square Spellbinders...and made squares and cut out squares with glimmery paper in red, blue and silver..to mimick the model's shiny outfit and silver accents of jewelry and shoes.  The paper  is DCWV The Shimmer  matstack.    Here's a side view to show you the paper:

I was on such a role with making squares, that I had enough left over(making a few more, too)to make 2 more cards...I'll put those on separate posts....

....this was fun!!   Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Thinking of You...

I just HAD to try my hand at another card for Less is More's die/punch challenge ...found a stamp at AC Moore's, yesterday, that gave me ideas.  And when a stamp gives you ideas...well, I go with them...here's the Hero Arts stamp:

Masking the bottom of the stamp, this is what I made with it:

Used Papertrey dies with Papertrey polka dotted paper and chipboard.  I decided on the yellow...thinking of a smiley face and put the letters in the shape of a smile...hee  hee.... Here's another one:

 My many years of cross stitching have begun to come in handy as I have 3 boxes of colored floss (that I almost got rid of NUMEROUS TIMES, but didn't...thankfully) and chose 5 colors that made ME happy when I looked at them.  I wrapped floss around a piece of chipboard, comparing the width of each color with the die cut letters.  Here's a close up:

 I know that my "h" is a little off, but it was hard getting the letters perfect...if anyone has any tips to conquer that...PLEASE let me know....but....that aside.....Yeah...NOW I'm happy!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Multi Brown, Multi Paneled Thinking of You

I made this card last weekend, just getting around to putting it up.  I have used this stamp on sympathy cards, but wanted to try another sketch from Papercrafts magazine that had multiple panels, and use this one stamp on all the various panels.

 I stamped the image with chocolate chip on 5 different brown colored cardstock pieces...all 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"...all in the same place, then cut all 5 top pieces then all 5 bottom pieces, then all 5 side pieces...and so on... so ALL the pieces from all 5 colors were all the same size. I added the 5 panels...all different browns to a scrap piece of cardstock and then added the finished panel onto the card.   I added Hero Arts sentiment and punched slot in front panel to thread the ribbon through.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 55...Punches or Die Cuts

The challenge for Less is More 55...Theme is to make a card using Dies or Punches.  I must admit, I have been using die cuts A LOT lately...and I think my mojo was lost in my stamp piles...longing to just stamp, so my cards, kind of reflect my lack.  I really thought this would be easy, but I struggled.  I have 3 cards, only because I kept trying to make the ONE that I would absolutely LOVE...hmm...didn't happen...but I like them well enough...so that's why there are three cards...not because I was on a roll...but one man's lack could be another's inspiration...so here they are:

 I used circle nesties and Papertrey Ink paper to make circles...layered on chipboard and added Hero Arts sentiment.

Tried it in blue with A Muse paper and a Hero Arts sentiment that I masked and put into two lines, stamped in versamark and white embossed.  Used Papertrey Ink Canvas/Linen Texture plate for card and panel.

This card uses a My Favorite Things Kite Die and Papertrey Ink clouds and sentiment(Up, Up, and Away Sentiments).  Die cut the clouds a bit bigger so the chipboard clouds could sit in the clouds on the card.  Layered the kite and clouds on chipboard...the polka dotted paper is Stampin Up.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Clean and Simple 158...Stitching

I haven't done a challenge at Splitcoaststampers in FOREVER...but went there last night, while trying hard to stay awake(making a card will keep me sooooo awake:)!!) to check out the clean and simple challenge for Monday and saw Stitching.  Hmmm....well, I have a sewing machine...well not at my house, I gave it to a friend a few months ago, because I wasn't using it.   I thought about a stamp set I have that has faux stitching, which was acceptable, but then had another thought.  I remembered my piercing tool and grid, and decided to pierce holes in a piece of cardstock and stitch with white floss.  I also had a BUNCH of flowers left over from my Mom's cards I made from my last post...didn't like the white embossing, but thought it went perfect here!  Here's what I came up with:

Papertrey Ink flower(Beautiful Blooms), verse(Beautiful Blessings)...kinda cool how they are both Beautiful...the polka dotted paper and button  is Papertrey, the leaves made with edges of circle punch.  Popped up on white card.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Cards for Music Group

Just a quick one...made 10 cards for my Mom's music group(she's the secretary and sends birthday cards ...), 2 of each of these colors:

Made with Papertrey Ink flower stamp(Beautiful Blooms...one of my most favorite Papertrey flowers!!), paper (flowers and music scores) and lacy die.  The sentiment is Hampton Arts.  Stamped in chocolate chip, clear embossed and cut out flowers.  Bazzill white and Java papers.   Added stick on glitter dots, and cut off brads with glue dots.  I'm off to the post office:)!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays 40...Tie One On...Again

Another card for CAS-ual Friday's challenge 40, to make a card with a party theme and have ribbon on it.  It's also made from another sketch from Papercrafts magazine...loving those sketches!!   I made this with a border stamp from Heidi Grace Designs(Borders) and sentiment from Hero Arts(Birthday Sayings)...stamped in Melon Mambo and colored with Pretty in Pink, dotted with black Enamel Accents.  The bow, Papertrey Ink ribbon.

I masked the space for the sentiment and stamped the border above and below the space for the ribbon.  I used a Ribbon Slot Punch Tool from Making Memories, punched two slots,  and wove the ribbon underneath the sentiment.
The card measures 6 1/2' x 4"...fits a business sized envelope.  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Using Some Design Paper

Here are a couple more cards from sketches from Papercrafts magazine sketches... and below each card , I'll give the details:

This card was made by taking different design papers from a pad I have and cutting and pasting strips diagonally across a piece of cardstock.  I left enough space in the middle for a sentiment and popped up on white card.   This was an easy and fun card to make...the possibilities are huge for this card!  The sentiment is Hero Arts.

 This card took on a life of it's own.  I had meant to make it like the sketch, which had 16 squares, but space for a sentiment on the bottom.  I decided to use the Papertrey Ink letter dies, and unfortunately, they were a bit too big to make a card that big.  Each square is 1", the card is 5" square.  I am still going to try another card using a smaller square, but that's for another day!  Used Papertrey Ink design paper and heart die, the butterfly is an A Muse die.  Layered on chipboard and popped up on white card.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays 40...Tie One On

I have been busy with the sketches from the Papercrafts Card Ideas magazine Volume 1...there are 84...yes 84 different sketches...and here is a card for CAS-ual Fridays 40...to make a card with a party theme and ribbon, I decided to use one of the magazine sketches to make my card:

I used the letter dies from Papertrey Ink and some light chipboard, layered covered with bazzill paper.  Used a part of a Hero Arts sentiment in Concord Grape... and ribbon...I'll post my other cards on another post...what fun...PARTY ON!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

DO OVER!!

I called a Do Over with my card from yesterday!!  I realized, late into the day that the card I made needed to be revamped...my tilted hearts to "make" the sketch were unnecessary...so I straightened them a  bit...I  still LOVE the idea of this card, just not sure that I executed it too well...but still smiling at the thought of it:
THE AFTER:

THE BEFORE:

Used Papertrey dies, felt and some of the buttons, an Inkadinkado sentiment stamped in Crushed Concord.  Liking it better.....but the thought of Hearts made of felt with the sentiment....well....I STILL think it's toooo PUNNY!!!  Still laughing...now just not at my card...just the thought of it!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Fantastic Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!!  I have been enjoying some pink-centered, heart shaped York Peppermint patties...ummmmm..."LOVE"them...and that's a very fitting feeling for today!! Setting aside one day a year devoted to love...  I 've always believed...life should be Valentine's Day everyday!!  Hope your Valentine's Day is "LOVELY"!!  Here's my second card for the day...as with my other post, today, the inspiration came from a papercrafting magazine.  I pulled out one of my favorite Stampin Up sets, that I haven't used in a while...Pick a Petal, and made this:

Used Papertrey Ink dotted paper and ribbon with a Hero Arts sentiment.  I layered the top layer of petals on chipboard and added a vinyl covered brad that I chopped the prongs off of and attached with glue dots.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less Is More...One Layer... and Stripes

I don't know if you've ever had a day like I did yesterday, but time to create didn't exist, but even if it had, I didn't feel creative.  I spent last night going through a bunch of card making magazines and put little page sticky notes next to cards that caught my attention and I liked:)!!  This morning, when I DID have some time, I was armed with page upon page of inspiration ....so I made another card for Less is More's challenge to make a one layer card with stripes.  I also made a couple more, but will put them on a separate post:)!!  Here's my card:

I used an exacto knife and cut stripes on a scrap piece of paper I had folded in half(spacing them apart, so sponging would not be a problem). I placed the stripes, one at a time on the card, and sponged in different shades of brown, overlapping a bit...some distress, some Stampin Up inks.  Added a papertrey ink sentiment in Soft Suede.  Here's a pic of my templates:

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

One Layer Wednesday...Circles, Circles Everywhere

The challenge this week, at One Layer Wednesday is to make a one layer card using at least 5 circles.  I knew if I used Papertrey's Dot Spot set, I would EASILY hit the required 5 with the use of a single image:)!!  My card is ULTRA simple, but in the end, after trying to add middles to my images, extra bling scattered around the card and other ideas, I decided I liked it just the way it was...with 4 images, no middles(love the white in their middles...think it gives it more of the 70's psychdelic look and feel...lol), and textured the card...here's my card:

Stamped with Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Lucky Limeade and Calypso Coral, clear embossed and added sentiment from Paper Smooches, and rounded two of the corners.
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Less is More 54...One Layer Stripes

The challenge at Less is More, this week, is to make a one layer card with stripes!  Stripes...stripes...stripes...well did I stamp some stripes...but they're WHITE...hope that keeps me in the challenge, 'cause I kinda covered my card with em:)!!...

I first saw a card by Maile Belles (later in the post) with the complete set of Papertrey Ink Chevron stripes on a card, I decided to  use all the stripes on one block...and stamp them all, too:

I know, the ends of the stripes are hanging off the side, but this was the only "chubby" block I had, and being that I put the stripes going across the short side of the card...no worries, the hanging ends didn't even touch the sides of the card.  Maile had stamped in clear on a colored card....

but I decided to stamp in versamark, but emboss with white on a kraft colored card.  THEN...I chose a ribbon and found a Prismacolor pencil that matched the ribbon color(the possibilities for this idea are HUGE!!), and colored some of the kraft colored stripes with the colored pencil...just added some color:)!! The sentiment is Hero Arts (Find Joy).   Ran the card through my Big Shot with Papertrey Ink's Linen/Canvas Texture plate for added texture!!  Don't know what's going on with blogger, today...this post may be a little wierd...the whole format has changed and I am not adjusting too well!  Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays... Love Ya to Pieces #2

I don't know what it is about challenges for me, these days.  I just love and am inspired by them, so one card just never seems to be enough for me.  I had this little sailboat from Verve and just couldn't resist the urge to make a paper pieced card with it for CAS-ual Fridays challenge 39...to make a card that is paper pieced.  Here's my card:

I used a stamp from Verve's Text Objects(sailboat) and the sentiment is from another Verve set, To The Moon.  I Used Papertrey Ink rick rack/zig zag die for waves and Papertrey paper...brown and light blue are Stampin Up.  Stamped the sailboat on card and layered on chipboard and pieced the different parts of the boat onto the stamped image on card.  Fun challenge:)!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

CAS-ual Fridays...Love Ya to Pieces

The challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays is to make a card using paper piecing!  Used a stamp from Hero Arts that was perfect for paper piecing...only I went a little crazy:

 Ok...I'm just gonna say..You could do this a lot easier than I did, but I even paper pieced EACH DOT ON THE FLOWER...well, what can I say...Princess Diaries 1 and 2 were on...my son and I were sitting watching...time to kill...movies I've seen countless times before...so time to cut little circles.  I thought, in the end...it DID look cuter with the added dots...but it's not for everyone!!  This stamp from Hero Arts...this is what it looks like on the block:

so a great stamp for paper piecing.  Used Stampin Up design paper, white and black with a big black vinyl covered brad.  Embossed the yellow strip and used a sentiment from Hero Arts, too.  It was just a yellow kind of day...probably because it was so gray here today!!

My thanks and appreciation for the recognition of last week's entry into CAS-ual Friday's Red Carpet challenge!!  I am honored and thrilled to be A V.I.P...very cool!!!!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Runway Inspired Challenge 5...Card 2

I just couldn't leave this Runway Inspired Challenge, until I made a card with those squares!!!  For those who may not have seen it...there are squares on the model's top, that I originally wanted to use on my card, and did, but didn't like my colors...and then there was the design.  I made a card this morning, that is a little closer to not only the colors, but the design...here's my card and the model/dress:

I used a QuicKutz embossing folder and embossed piece of vellum 

 and cut out the squares.  I  sponged the vellum squares with Bashful Blue and layered on thick paper and then on chipboard(I know, I am LOVING chipboard, lately:)!!) .  Added Hero Arts sentiment...now I can finally put the squares to rest...whew:)!!
Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa

Runway Inspired Challenge 5

I made a card, last night, for Runway Inspired Challenge 5 .  I finally LIKE the blue color on my  card for this challenge...now I just have some 'splaining to do with the other colors!  Here's my card and the runway model...and then I'll 'splain(I Love Lucy:)!!):

 The blue  color of the flowers is  her skirt...the buttons I chose were a bit darker, for her top...and the kraft...well white card didn't go...blue card was ok...but kraft well...I really liked it.  AND, as I looked at the model...the kraft could be her skin color against the blue...hey...works for me?!
  I decided on a glossy paper for the flowers, die cut with My Favorite Things flowers and sponged with Memento Summer Sky with a "dusting" of sponging of SU Going Gray in the middles.  Layered with 2 really thin layers of chipboard(used the packaging that goes around a huge package of Puffs Tissues from Sam's Club, have even used kleenex boxes...RECYLING at it's finest...I don't have to pay for chipboard...it can be found everywhere:)!!   I added Papertrey Ink buttons with floss and a sentiment from Paper Smooches.  Popped up some of the  flowers and the panel they sit on.  Wanted to show you the cool glossiness of the paper...no raised texture on my flowers, as I usually do, but LOVED the glossy, shiny look of these all by themselves...

Textured the card with Papertrey Ink's Linen/Canvas Texture plate....had to think a bit about this challenge...light blue is a toughie for me...but fun!!

Thanks for visiting me today!! Hugs!! Lisa