Make Mine Stamps

March Sketch Challenge - My First Take

Well, since I issued the sketch challenge, I've had several people contact me and say they will be entering.  Whooo-Hoooo!  Can't wait to see your take on the sketch.  I've decided to show you my first take on the sketch here.  There will undoubtedly be other samples this month because I want to show that you can make some great cards using the same sketch -- over and over and over again!

I actually made this card for another challenge for SUDSOL.  The acronym stands for Stampin' Up! Demos Sharing Online and it is a very talented and sharing group.  I love the ideas and help they give me just for the asking.  However, you have to be a demo in order to belong.  If you aren't a demo, I can easily fix that for you -- just call me!  If you are a demo and you don't belong, check it out through the link in my sidebar.  It's definitely worth the yearly cost to belong!

This card came about because I am totally tired of snow and gray.  I needed color.  Are you getting that from this card?

I started with a Taken with Teal Base and chose a piece of the patterned paper from the Sweet Pea DSP.  I like this piece because it gave me so many color options and also because there were so many other papers that matched it in the same pack.  This allowed me to paper piece my packages and use some scraps from other projects.  I pierced a strip of Barely Banana and added it to the strip, covering it with a piece of Only Orange 1/4" grosgrain ribbon.  I attached all of this to the basecard.

Next, I stamped and pieced my packages and matted them on Only Orange and Chocolate Chip with dimensionals.  I attached this to the card and stamped my sentiment.  Both images are from the Happy Moments stamp set.  As a final touch, I added two Barely Banana brads to the left hand edge.

This card makes me happy to look at it -- I NEEDED SOME BRIGHT COLOR!  I'm absolutely done with snow and if we don't get anymore this year, I'll be happy!  I cried Uncle last week, but obviously I didn't cry it loud enough.

If you are interested in entering my March sketch or color challenge, check this link:

http://www.makeminestamps.com/2010/02/march-challenges.html

In the meantime, happy crafting!  Have a great Monday and God Bless!

March Challenges

One thing I've really tried to do this year is to enter more sketch and color challenges.  Sketch challenges are easy, but those color challenges sometimes push me right outside my box.  I'll admit my comfortable box isn't very big and I know that I need to expand my stamping horizons.

So, from March forward, I'm going to be issuing my own Sketch Challenge and Color Challenge -- and anyone can enter.  I'm doing mine a bit differently to start.  Here are the details.

You can enter either or both challenges as many times as you wish.  However, the card has to be snail-mailed to me.  I know it's a bother, but at this point, I'm not good with Mr. Linky (or technology in general!) and I have a purpose for conducting my challenges this way which I'll explain later.  Each card will be assigned a number as it arrives (i.e., the first card to arrive for each challenge will be #1 in its category and so on).  All cards must be postmarked by March 19.  I will post every card I receive on my blog, giving you full credit for your creation.  On March 27, I will use random.org to choose the winner of each challenge and the winners will receive a box of goodies from me!  I'll send your bounty to you via priority mail if you are not local!  I'll announce the winner on Sunday, March 28 in a posting to my blog. 

Now, why do I want them snail mailed?  I'm going to donate all of the cards to the Ronald McDonald House of Columbus -- the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the WORLD!  They will gratefully accept and use every card we send them. 

For those of you who don't have a blog, what better way to get your cards published than this?  I'll give you full credit for your creation and I'll even let you know what date your card going to run on my blog as long as you include your email address in your envelope.  You'll be in the challenge, you might win the goodies and you'll be donating cards to a good cause -- it's a win/win all the way around.

So, here's the sketch for March 2010:

Now, understand that I only used the colors to illustrate the different pieces of the sketch.  No, you don't use these colors -- you choose your own colors, how many layers you want to use, if you want to scallop or not to scallop, etc.  The choices are totally up to you but you should be able to see the sketch somewhere in your design.  It's kind of the jumping off point.

So, see how easy this one is?  Why?  Because I can only draw easy!

Now, for the color inspiration, here are the colors for March 2010.  Since purple and yellow are considered the "up and comers", please use Perfect Plum, So Saffron and Mellow Moss to make a card of any design you wish.  You can use any neutrals you wish as well.  Here's a picture of the colors and if you aren't using Stampin' Up! colors, just choose something close:

And yes, if you want to use the sketch challenge and use the color challenge on one card, I'll enter you in both challenges. 

Simple?  If you need my address, drop an email to tami@MakeMineStamps.com or leave a comment and I'll be sure to send you the address for a snail mailed card.  I do hope you play along -- everyone who submits a card is eligible to win and there will be nothing "judged" about this challenge.  It is all "chance".  Invite your friends to join as well -- absolutely everyone is eligible as long as they can snail mail a card with a March 19 postmark.

Thom is plowing snow -- still and again -- and I've got to get creating.  I've wasted too much time today trying to figure out how to add my sketch.  Thanks to the fabulous ladies on the LNSDEMOONLY Board for their assistance -- you ladies rock!

Happy Saturday and happy creating!  Let me know how I can help you!

Blessings....

 

Blogger's Challenge - Boxes and Bags

Well, you'd have to guess I'd do a bag because I'm not a great 3D person and I know some of the very talented women in this group will be crafting their own boxes...yes, from scratch.  Not me.  I have to make every stamping moment count from here to May so I created a bag that will be used for a Bridal Shower I'm attending next weekend.  Her colors are Cherry Red and White.  So, here's the bag which will be used for the gift my mother and I are presenting to the Bride-to-Be.

I purposely left the glare on the bag so you could see how this fabulous Bridal Designer Series Papers reflects the light.  And it is a stunner when you stamp on it.  I used Really Red Ink and the Wedding Sweet stamp set for the focal image.  It doesn't stamp in the areas that reflect the light; however, I used Black Staz-On for the sentiment on the bottom of the panel (Well-Scripted)  and it stamped right through, which is really perfect for the sentiment! 

I chose to add black as the back panel for some added POP!  Black, red and white are such formal colors anyway and I think they work well together here.  I won't go into the boring details -- this one is pretty straight forward.  Since I did the front of the bag, I needed to do something to the back of the bag.  Here's a picture of the back of the bag, using the same paper and the same stamp set.

 

Am I the only one who loves that light reflection off this paper?

We are getting her gift cards for Bed, Bath and Beyond and I'm going to make thank you cards in her colors for her to use for her shower gifts.  If she doesn't choose to use them for shower gifts, they will just be pretty thank you cards for her to use "whenever".  I'm going to use this paper and I can tell you now that the ideas are flowing.  If I can just get them from my brain to my fingers and onto paper, I'll be one happy camperette!

Enjoy your weekend.  I'm looking forward to getting some stamping projects done this weekend.  So much to stamp...so little time to do it!

Many blessings to you and yours!

Paper Tearing

By now, if you know me or follow my blog, you know I am a paper ho!  I can't get enough paper and I order more all the time!  It's great when I want to donate supplies because...well, I've got plenty of supplies to donate!

I haven't had any time this week to stamp so I am posting cards I have done previously.  This will be one of the cards we do at my Stamping 101 Class at the library, which was rescheduled for March 4.  I love ripped edges and I want to prove that paper can make the most beautiful cards, without stamps.  If you choose pretty paper and have beautiful sentiments, you'll make fabulous cards!

This card is comprised of layers of paper and some easy stamping.  Notice how the layers are all torn randomly.  I didn't want them to look the same and I've used my fingernails to roll up the edges of the paper.  I'm not a huge distresser so I did not ink any edges, but left this one pretty basic.  I used the Teeny Tiny Messages set to stamp "With Sympathy" at the bottom right. 

And, because I collect sentiments in addition to paper, here's the inside and I think this is one of the most beautiful sentiments I've seen to date for a sympathy card.

 

I stamped the sentiment on a neutral panel and adhered the panel inside the card.  The sentiment reads, "When someone you love becomes a memory...their memory becomes a treasure."

Such a simple truth! 

Friday is Blogger's Challenge so I've got to find time to stamp today.  I think I can work it in and the challenge this week is a true challenge for me.  Check back tomorrow to see if I rise to the occasion or if I flop miserably! 

Enjoy your day and count your blessings -- when you really count all your blessings, you'll see that you are rich beyond compare!

Bella Bleu Redeaux

 A while ago, I used the Bella Bleu DSP to create a card for a sketch challenge.  Admittedly, when I made the card initially, I really liked it.  However, after moving it around my stamp room a few times, I decided I didn't really care for it after all.  Here is that card:

 If you click on this picture, it will enlarge.  At any rate, I decided the Bella Bleu DSP definitely deserved to be used again and to be made into a much prettier card.  So, as I was designing cards for my card club this month, I pulled out the DSP and decided to do a simple note card that they could then stamp as they wished with sentiments to make the card work for them.  And they didn't disappointment me either!  Here is the new card I designed using the Bella Bleu DSP.

Once again, I've used Bordering Blue as my base card.  I layered the DSP with Very Vanilla and scalloped a layer of both Bordering Blue and Very Vanilla, adhering them together.  I pierced the top layer of the Very Vanilla (this is kind of a trademark of mine, I guess, because I do it so often!) and wrapped the French Blue 1/4" grosgrain ribbon around this layer. 

I wanted a focal image that was pretty and I wanted something soft, so I grabbed a paper flower and added an ice brad to the center.  I love this card, but when I used my Shimmer Mist (homemade!), I loved it even more!  My thought is that I can now add a sentiment to the front or to the inside and I love the simplicity of this card. 

At card club, it was used as a Baby Shower card, as a Birthday Card and as a Mother's Day card (I think...) just by stamping a sentiment on the upper portion and using a corresponding sentiment on the inside.  Way to go ladies!

My grandmother is still hanging on and my mom says she is okay with Grandma letting go.  I'm not certain she really is, but I hope she is prepared.  I can't imagine how I would feel if the roles were reversed and it was me with my mom.  I'm a long way from being ready for that to happen and pray that God decides he needs my mom on this earth for a whole lot longer too!  We would both appreciate your prayers that they are able to lessen my grandmother's pain and to make her comfortable.

I hope all is well in your world and that you are safe and warm.  See you tomorrow!

Let's Go Shopping!

Some time ago while I was cruising one of my favorite demo sites, I saw an idea by a fellow demonstrator that was just too cute.  She had actually made packages and put them on her card.  I thought this was the cutest idea ever and decided I had to try it.  I didn't write her name down or keep a picture of her card, but if I knew her name, I would give her complete credit.  This was sheer genius in my mind and makes one of the cutest, easiest cards ever.  I'm thinking I'll have to come up with the Bridal Shower version for use in a couple of weeks.

This basecard is Old Olive and I'm using Cottage Wall DSP.  The colors in this package of DSP are fabulous and are among my favorites.  Old Olive, Pale Plum, Orchid Opulence, Rich Razzleberry, and Crisp White combine to make some of the best DSP I have seen Stampin' Up! put out.  I love the stripes, the dots, the florals -- hmmmm -- I can see some ordering coming on so I'll have this to hoard when Rich Razzleberry retires!

I chose a piece of the Old Olive dotted DSP and wrapped a piece of Rich Razzleberry grosgrain Polka Dotta double-sided ribbon around.  I tied another piece to make the bow effect, which my upline, Connie, taught me, and made a cheater bow.  Love this technique -- anything that saves me frustration is worth doing, right?

I used my 1 3/8" square punch to punch solid squares in Rich Razzleberry and Pale Plum, and then used the 1 1/4" square punch to punch the different pieces of DSP in order to create the shopping bag fronts.  I attached the hemp twine handles and tissue to the packages and adhered them to my card with dimensionals.  The sentiment, from Well Scripted, is stamped in Rich Razzleberry ink. 

The great thing about SU DSP is that it is two-sided.  So the gals in Card Club who made this card last night all had different cards when we finished.  I love that!  And, not everyone used a Happy Birthday sentiment either.  I generally take different sentiments and they can create whatever they wish using the supplies I've brought with me.  It is fabulous to see what everyone does differently and to learn from each of them.  Besides, these gals are darned entertaining -- I laugh so much during Card Club -- Girls Night Out!

I didn't hear from my mom last night and it's too early to call her yet today so I am not certain how my grandmother is doing this a.m.  I'll be checking this morning though and I hope the news isn't bad. 

Have a fabulous day.  I'm looking forward to American Idol tonight.  It's Tuesday and that means date night in our house.  See you tomorrow!

Francie's Card

It's a late, late post today!  My debit card was hacked over the weekend and I spent the morning trying to get all of those charges creditted by contacting the companies involved.  Do not ever use SKYPE.  If you do and love the service, I hope you never have problems with them.  You cannot contact them via phone -- only email -- and from the reviews left on the web, I doubt seriously that they ever get back with you.  I have $54 in charges to SKYPE that I did not make and my bank is going to have to take care of working with them.  Not only could I not get a live body, I have yet to get any response to my emails.  YUCK! 

I have Card Club tonight and I don't want them to see the cards prior to our class, so today, I'm posting a card I was fortunate to receive from Francie!  It's an original and I treasure it!  Last month, Francie had a death in her family and we haven't seen one another since then.  I know how close her family is and I just wanted to give them time to sort through all that is involved when an older family member passes away.  But I love the card and am sending her one in return.

This card uses some of my most favorite DSP -- Cottage Wall.  The base is Rich Razzleberry.  The scalloped layer is Old Olive with the stripe from Cottage Wall.  She stamped on a metal rimmed tag (I never use these -- they just stump me!) and layered this on Orchid Opulence.  Final touch?  A sheer orchid ribbon.  Gorgeous!

Thanks Francie for serving as guest designer!  I will see your smiling face very soon -- count on it!

My mom called this afternoon to let me know that my maternal grandmother is in the hospital and is not doing well.  Mom doesn't expect things to go well so please say a prayer that her pain will diminish or that they will be able to control it and that they are able to make her comfortable.  I hope they are able to figure something out, but if it is time for Grandma to see Jesus, then I hope they make her passing as comfortable as possible.  She's had a long life and I think she is probably ready to make her way to heaven.  God Bless You Grandma!

Blogger's Challenge - Sketch Challenge

Uncle!  There...I've said it.  I'm officially done with snow for the first part of the year 2010.  We have had enough and I am done -- no matter how pretty.  There is no where else to put the snow and now, it is starting to look dirty.  So let's dispense with this stuff, okay?  All in favor, say I!

This week, Lisa, our Blogger's Challenge list mom, gave us a sketch.  I do not know where she got this one, but for me, it was a stopper.  I just couldn't get my arms around this one and I had many ideas.  Nothing panned out.  So, here's the sketch.

Maybe this one gives you some instant ideas, but it was tough for me.  This is a group of very talented women and I didn't want to bomb, you know what I mean?  So, I challenged myself to come up with something.  Here is my result.

This is a piece of DSP from the Sweet Pea Package of Designer Series Papers.  For the most part, I really like the selection in this paper packet.  However, printed pages, such as you see here, are always difficult for me.  I really have to get outside my comfort zone to use them and generally, I just use the back since they are double-sided.

I dug in, gritted my teeth and decided that in some way, I was going to use this paper.  I had to move up to a 5 x 7 card, which I don't normally do, but I am "okay" with this design.  I'm not sure I would send it to someone, but if I get desperate, perhaps I will.

The card base is Chocolate Chip.  I cut the DSP so the flowers would be to the right.  I could not find my double stitched Chocolate Chip ribbon (am I out?  hmmmmmm) so I created it instead with a strip of Chocolate Chip cardstock which I pierced on both sides.  I just used my white gelpen to add the stitches and because I can't sew a lick, it actually looks real -- like I might have sewn it!  Notice in the sketch that there is some sort of embellishment on that left strip at the top and bottom -- I tried a number of embellishments, but with the flowers, they just looked too busy.  So, inspiration finally hit me and I tied knots in 1/4" Rose grosgrain ribbon and attached the ribbon to the strip.  Next.....

I have ordered more of the Sweet Pea felt pieces, but they are on backorder.  So, I had a few pieces still in a a baggie on my desk and I attached them to the flowers in the DSP with glue dots.  Used those up and they are no longer riding around on my stamp desk.  Next....

I'm gritting my teeth here trying to figure out a focal image.  Butterfly?  Nope, too large.  Bumble Bee?  Nope, don't have any.  Hmmmmm...inspiration struck once again and I used the Round Tag punch on a scrap of Pretty In Pink, folded it over and stamped "thank you" from the Happy Moments set from the Sale-A-Bration catalog.  And, I put it under the Chocolate Chip strip as if it had been sewn into the seam.  Ahhhhh, sketch challenge completed.  No, it isn't a beautiful card, but I did meet the challenge and as in one of my favorite shows, Project Runway, I think it would be enough to "get me through" and qualify me to go another round.  That's all I wanted with this sketch!

Guess what I did this week?  No, that wasn't it.  I managed to hit my garage door with my new Explorer.  Many of you are thinking that I ran into it.  No, that wasn't it...backed into it as it was coming down.  I never put that door up as I walk out of the house into the garage, but for some dumb reason, I did yesterday.  I got so darned excited that we finally had a newspaper after a week's hiatus that I accidentally hit the button (really, out of habit) and as the door was coming down, I backed into it.  Way to go, Tami!  Yep, the local body shop gets $1,700 to repair it.  Truly, they are soaking us but since the car is new, Thom wants it repaired by a Ford authorized dealership to retain all of its value.  I suppose that makes sense, but if I could find someone from Dent Wizard, I know they could pop out the crease that I managed to put in there.  It was nicely placed though -- between the glass and the handle and neither of those items were damaged.  However, the Ford body shop is saying the entire back panel must be replaced.  And trust me, I wasn't impressed with the level of service they gave me yesterday either -- or should I say "DIDN'T GIVE ME".  They know they have you, so they made me wait for 8 minutes before even asking if they could help me, and then when I went back to get the quote, the manager, who was sitting on his behind probably cruising the web on his computer, said, "Someone will be right with you" and just watched me as I stood at their counter.  Eight minutes later, he finally got off his behind and handed me the quote.  Yep, that is some level of service.  CAN YOU SAY POOR?  Oh well, I must move forward.  If I never have to deal with them again, it will be far too soon.  Frustration vented.....

Have a fabulous weekend and count your blessings.  I hope you can count many as I can.  God Bless!

DCBD Sketch Challenge

While cruising some of my favorite sketch sites yesterday, I came across a very simple sketch that would be great for beginners, but can be taken up a notch to go way over the top.  I love sketch challenges that immediately give me ideas -- I practically ran to my stamp room to start creating. 

My base card is Bordering Blue, a color that I don't really use that often.  However, it is perfect for the Bella Bleu Designer Series Papers.  Here, I've added a layer of this DSP -- I particularly like this piece because like the sketch, the design is so clean and simple.

I scalloped a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and pierced the top of this piece.  I wrapped a piece of Bordering Blue 1/4" grosgrain ribbon around the scalloped piece and adhered this to the layer of DSP. 

Using my Bordering Blue Craft Ink (pigment ink), I inked the stamp that most closely resembles the small pattern in the DSP.  This image is from Baroque Motifs and really pops off this card.  It's a very strong, but very simple focal image.  I inked the image in Craft ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I know the photo doesn't do it justice, but the image is slick and shiny and just POPS off this card.  I stamped it on Very Vanilla and matted it on Bordering Blue, attaching it to the basecard with dimensionals.  Clean and simple -- that is my most favorite look.  If someone were to ask me to epitomize my style, I would have to say it is Clean and Simple.  I love the small details but I don't want clutter on my cards.

Tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge and I can't wait to post my card.  I've taken this particular challenge and used some DSP that always gives me fits -- I'm not sure it is my best card ever, but I chuckled as I was making it because I know it isn't "me".  Tomorrow's challenge is also a sketch challenge and this one didn't speak to me at all.  I struggled, but I was determined to make my first idea work and I stuck it out until I could at least say I followed the sketch, I used DSP that I wouldn't ordinarily use and I tried to be creative in the process.  We'll see what you think.

Andy is recuperating nicely and we'll have his second physician follow-up appointment next week.  We're going to be seeing a lot of his doctor, but he is one of the best in his field and actually played football for Joe-Pa at Penn State.  That makes him one of the good guys in my opinion -- I'm an Ohio State Fan, but I love Joe Paterno and can only root against him when he is playing Ohio State.  One must keep one's priorities in line....

See you tomorrow!  God Bless!

So Simple...SCRAPS!

My class at the library had to be postponed due to the weather.  It was crazy weather early in the day and it finally toned down a bit later.  However, the North/South roads were drifting shut and although I wouldn't have had a problem holding the class, I felt certain that there would be folks who wouldn't come due to the road conditions and dark.  So, we'll give it a shot another day.

Sorry for the late posting.  I've had a major sinus headache the last day or so and I'm toughing it out.  I went to work early this a.m. to get a bunch done and normally, I have my blog posts ready.  However, I didn't stamp yesterday but worked on my "housework" and thought I had some photos ready.  Wrong!

Here's a super simple beginner card that I will use as a note.  I'll more than likely stamp something from the Picture This set from the Occasions Mini -- perfect one liners for the cover above the top Pretty In Pink pierced layer.

What could be simpler than this?  I punched three squares from the Tea Party Designer Series Papers and one square of Certainly Celery.  I cut two very skinny pieces of Pretty In Pink cardstock and pierced them right up the center.  I adhered the top Pretty In Pink piece to the Almost Amythest base and just placed the remaining pieces so they would fit.  Because I wanted some dimension, I punched out a heart with my Three Heart Punch and placed it on the Certainly Celery square with a dimensional.  All done!

Yes, it is an easy card, but remember...my class at the library is for beginners.  I promised them the opportunity to try all types of adhesives and this one was done with glue sticks (BLECK!).  I want them to understand that you don't want to use glue sticks if you can avoid it, but for this card, it will work.  The other three cards they are making are done with mono-adhesive, but we will also be playing with 2-way glue pens and Tombow glue. 

And now for the big announcement:  Ann Murphy is the winner of my $100 box of stamping and scrapping goodies!  She completed my questionnaire about how I can improve my classes and what types of events would be of interest to her and her number was randomly drawn as the winner.  Congratulations Ann!  Since I'll see you on Monday, I'll bring your goodies with me and everyone else can drool over your new "toys"!  I really appreciate your input and your friendship!

Happy Wednesday!  God Bless!