Make Mine Stamps

Blogger's Challenge - Birthday Theme

Yesterday, we visited Baldwin-Wallace College.  Andy is still college shopping and we've got a couple more visits to get through before he actually makes a decision.  And a decision needs to be forthcoming quickly!  It was a 2 hour and 45 minute drive for me through winding hill country but I have to say that the scenery, with the fog laying all over, was breathtaking.  Thom wasn't able to go with me so I made the drive myself and with Sirius radio, all was right in my world.

When I got home at about 4 p.m., I thought I would set the world on fire with all that I could get accomplished.  Thom was out of town for the night, no worries with feeding him and I can eat something quick, making no mess in the kitchen and blah, blah, blah.  Didn't happen.  When I finally did sit down to create my card for Blogger's Challenge, I had one of those "ideas" that I just could not get to come through my fingers.  And to top it all off, I'm having camera issues and I'm not certain how to resolve them.  I'll have to call LuAnn, my SIL.  When I bought this camera, I was very smart --  I bought the exact camera she had so all I have to do is call her, tell her my woes, and she can tell me how to fix them.  The woman is incredible and I'm so lucky she loves my brother -- besides, she "birthed" my nephew and heaven knows I love that child!

I happened to check out a video posted on SUDSOL (demo only board) yesterday before I started my card.  I wanted to make a flower with a pipe cleaner and brad.  It worked and the flower looks great, but not with this card!  So now I'm left with a card that needs a much better focal image.  Try as I might, I just couldn't get anything give me the result I desired.

Details:  Rich Razzleberry basecard.  The DSP is Cottage Walland I layered this over Pale Plum.  I scalloped Old Olive and used the Rich Razzle-berry Polka Dotted ribbon (flip side) across the scalloped layer.  I looked up, down and all around for my Chit Chat rub-ons to rub on "Happy Birthday".  Once again, no dice.  They've disappeared in a room full of fabulous crafting materials and odds are good that I was looking right at them...several times!  But I had to settle for using the Teeny Tiny Wishes set to stamp my sentiment in White Craft Ink on the ribbon.  I used the flower from the Pretties Kit, along with a "bling" brad from the Ice Circles Collection with my flower.  I also used my piercing kit to pierce around the entire image and, wonder of wonders!...it worked out!

Sometimes I have big ideas and small results.  Other times I have small ideas and something I really like emerges.  I have ideas of getting great things accomplished today and I'm hoping I get the results I need.  I've got lots of design work that needs to be done and it must happen this weekend!  So, I'm off to be WOW'D by the works of the other paper crafting ladies who participate in Blogger's Challenge. 

I'll see you next week and wish you a fabulous weekend!  Stamp something!

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!

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!

Blogger's Challenge - Valentine Theme

Yes, I remember that Black, Red and White was last week.  However, my hubby went nuts over my card last week and said he LOVES Red and Black cards.  And, because he likes to agitate me, whenever I send mail or am making a card, he asks if it is for him.  What?  Just because I make cards he thinks he should RECEIVE cards?  Where did he ever get that idea?

Thursday, I saw a sketch and this card immediately came to mind.  I went home and put the card together and mailed it yesterday.  I am hopeful it will come back to the house by Saturday, in time for Valentine's Day.  I know he is taking me to my favorite restaurant for lunch on Sunday (I prefer lunch versus dinner because we can go to church, head to Columbus for lunch, get home and get back inside and relax!).  I haven't been there in at least a year and I plan to eat myself sick and yes, I'm having dessert if they have something chocolate because if they don't, we'll walk across the way and get Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.  Calories don't count on Valentine's Day!

 My basecard is Basic Black.  I embossed the Really Red cardstock with the Perfect Details Texturz plate in my Big Shot.  I love this particular Texturz Plate because it is so pretty!  I used the Ticket Punch on the corners to notch them out.

I cut a sheet of labels to size and stamped En Francais in Basic Black. Then, using the Happy Heart set, I stamped the heart image in the middle with Really Red ink.  Next, I stamped the smaller open heart image and "love you" from Short and Sweet in Really Red.  I used my heat gun to make certain the ink was dry  (as you can tell, it wasn't completely dry and it spread a bit) and then I covered the sheet with Crystal Effects --a very thin layer -- and heated the entire piece until the Crystal Effects was dry. 

I carefully peeled the labels off onto the Basic Black cardstock and used dimensionals to attach this to my Really Red piece.  I tied the Gingham Ribbon around the bottom of the Really Red piece and attached it to the basecard.  I felt like this card needed "something" so I added the four silver brads.

Guaranteed, my man will like this card.  The sentiment inside is one I have had for a while and it isn't a Stampin' Up! sentiment, but I had to use it anyway.  It states, "I'm not waiting for a knight in shining armor...Mine has already come!"  I used a Stampin' Up! stamp to include "Happy Valentine's Day" and stamped all of that onto a white panel in Really Red Ink.

Tomorrow, I've got a Guest Designer.  Thom and I received a Valentine card from my SIL, Laura, who is a fabulous stamper.  We have such different styles and it is very cool how that works.  We like many of the same images, but Laura is more collage-y than I and has a way of putting things together that works.  When I do it, it just looks cluttered!  At any rate, you'll definitely want to check back and see the card she made us -- IT'S A WOW!

Have a fabulous weekend and stay safe and warm! 

Blogger's Challenge - Red, White and Black

What a classic combination!  I needed to stamp something quickly and I found a fabulous sketch to start with through SUDSOL.  I have two weddings that I'm aware of already this year and I've decided that I wanted to do simple, yet classy.  So, here's one of the designs I'll be using.

I realize that this is one of those SIMPLE cards and that it didn't take long to make.  However, I injured myself in the making of this card and I'm still bleeding!  I was cutting the legs off the Real Red Corduroy brads to put in the upper left corner and instead cut into myself in a deep V fashion in the upper palm of my left hand.  Man does it hurt!  I've bled through two band-aids and I have to tell you that you don't make cards while you are bleeding.  I don't want to send my DNA on a wedding card...and then I didn't even like how the brads looked, so I didn't use them.  I tried bling brads too -- decided I like the card plain as it is. 

I've got a Basic Black card base to start.  I added a 2" x 4 1/4" piece of the striped Bridal Designer Series Paper to the bottom of the front of the card and scalloped a piece of Real Red cardstock that measured 1" x 4 1/4".  I also pierced this piece top and bottom and added a strip of the Black and White Gingham ribbon for some interest.  I punched two of the hearts from the 3 Heart Punch from the patterned paper from the Bridal Designer Series Papers and then added a punched small Real Red Heart where the two join.  Ahhhhhh....I like it!

The Congratuations sentiment is stamped in Black Staz-On Ink and is from the Well Scripted set.  I've used the definition of "together" on the inside from the Define Your LIfe set and have included two smaller red hearts.  I didn't photo this -- my darned hand HURTS!  It is just throbbing and I feel like an idiot -- I was using my rubber scissons and since I don't ever have to trim my stamps anymore, I didn't think they were sharp enough to hurt me.  WRONG AGAIN!

I love the simplicity of the Bridal Designer Series papers and I love how I can take them really upscale and gorgeous when I add ink.  These papers are fabulous and I hope Stampin' Up! keeps them in the next catty go round.

We're to get a bunch of snow today so we'll see what happens.  I'm ready for a weekend.  I need to stamp like a mad-woman to have samples to post next week and we'll see how that goes.....

Enjoy your weekend!  God Bless You!

Blogger's Challenge - Die Cuts or Punches

Okay, there are some gals out there who can see things in their mind and make them with punches.  I'm not one of them.  I can copy the gals who share so willingly, but I'm not sure where I was when the talent with punches was passed out. 

This weeks Blogger's Challenge is to use diecuts or punches.  I've chosen to use diecuts and made a really simple card that I can easily duplicate quickly and in bunches.

I don't use enough Bermuda Bay but I love the color.  I used the Scalloped Square die cut to cut the card from Bermuda Bay -- perfect for a smaller card when you just need a note to enclose with a gift or a quick note to jot a quick message.

I layered Whisper White and some Designer Series Paper from the Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper Package.  I cut the Lattice die in Whisper White and layered all of this together. 

I'm one of those gals who just loves to enclose a quick note and I layered the inside of this card with Whisper White -- ever notice how easy our Whisper White is to write on?  The ink just glides on and it is so smooth! 

So, sorry that I don't have anything glamorous to share today, but this card is quick and easy and HANDMADE!  It counts as a papercraft!

Blogger's Challenge - Chocolate Chip, Pretty In Pink, Whisper White

Today's challenge was to use brown, pink and White.  How is that for a challenge?

Here is my creation:

I used the Herringbone technique for the background because I just love creating the look!  The strips of Pretty In Pink and Chocolate Chip DSP are just the Chocolate Chip print patterns that I've brayered over with Pretty In Pink ink.  The small dots and the houndstooth Pretty In Pink Designer Series Papers are from the Sweet Pea Pattern Pack.

I used a Chocolate Chip base card and layered on the background I created.  I stamped my focal image from Happy Heart and matted it on Pretty In Pink cardstock.  Before I attached this layer to the base card, I adhered a strip of 5/8" Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon around the top layer and then tied a 1/4" strip of Whisper White grosgrain ribbon around the Chocolate Chip ribbon.  I also attached two of the small Chocolate Chip corduroy button brads.

The focal image is mounted with dimensionals and is attached to the top layer with dimensionals as well.  Got to have some height!

This card came to mind easily when I read the challenge; however, creating the card was not as easy as I thought.  All of my supplies were packed up for my Techniques class and I had to go dig out my Pretty In Pink ink pad and brayer, as well as my glue gun.  Then, I had to remember to pack them back up so I would have them for class last night -- it would not have been a good thing to forget them. 

I'm off to see what all of these talented ladies have created.  There is awesome talent in this group and they never cease to amaze me.  I'm always smacking my forehead and saying, "I would NEVER have thought of THAT!"  My forehead is getting flat!

God Bless and have a fabulous weekend!

Blogger's Challenge - Sketch Challenge

As promised, here's the same sketch I used yesterday, but a different card.  My sister is celebrating a birthday this month and I'm determined to actually mail a card.  It's a novel concept -- making the cards AND THEN SENDING THEM -- something I have vowed to do more of in 2010!

Here's my card:

I started with a Chocolate Chip Card base.  I chose to use another piece of the Designer Series Paper from the Sweet Pea Paper pack.  Loving that stuff!  I cut a portion of the DSP, adhered this to an Old Olive cardstock and wrapped the 5/8" Striped Chocolate Chip Grosgrain ribbon around the seam.  I chose to wrap a 1/4" White grosgrain ribbon over the top of the Chocolate Chip ribbon because I liked the look with the stitching.

I stamped the Hippo from Pun Fun in Chocolate Chip ink onto Whisper White cardstock, omitting the words from the bottom of the image.  I used my Pretty In Pink inkpad and blender pen to color my Hippo.  Next, I stamped the hippo once again on Tempting Turquoise cardstock and cut out the bow and balloon.  I adhered them to the image with my Tombow multi glue and then made them dimensional by adding Crystal Effects to both pieces.  Love the way it turned out and just this simple step added so much to the image.  I matted this piece onto Rose Red cardstock and added it to my card with dimensionals.

Finally, I inked the words from the Hippo image and used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to add them above the ribbon.  Carrie, my sister, will like this card, by Braydon, my nephew, will love it!  Who really is more important here anyway?  He's only 4 so he'll appreciate the mail! 

I love the way there are so many paper possibiltiies in this paper pack and I'm not going to say I loved the idea of buying a paper pack when it debuted.  However, it's a steal and I'm glad I made the purchase.  The possibilities are endless and who would ever have thought to put some of these colors together anyway?  Certainly not I...

I'm off to see what everyone else created and to see if we really did get all that snow they were calling for yesterday.  Thom is out and about plowing -- my own personal snowman!

God Bless!  Have a fabulous weekend.  I'm hoping to get cards, cards, and more cards made!

Blogger's Challenge - Sketch Challenge

It's no secret that I love sketch challenges.  I like to have a jumping off point, a place to start.  However, sometimes cards don't come easy and other times, you see a sketch and immediately know what you want to create.  Today's Blogger's Challenge was easy for me and just spoke to me right now -- you gotta love that!

Here was the sketch we were given:          

I love Stampin' Up! products and that is no secret to anyone who knows me.  I am pretty picky with my paper though and will tell you that the Merry Moments paper just didn't do it for me.  Yes, I've seen some fabulous projects from other people -- but my creative mojo just didn't go nutso over this paper packet.  So, when I saw this sketch, I said, "Self, you are using that paper and you will make a card with that ugly print."  So self went to work and here is the end result.

I started with an Old Olive base card.  Using a layer of the snowflake multi-colored print, I added a layer of Kraft cardstock that I had run through the Big Shot with the small polka dots for texture.  It sort of mimicks the small diamonds I see in the print. 

I stamped the coordinating pine tree from Patterned Pines in Garden Green on Very Vanilla cardstock and layered this on Garden Green cardstock.  This layer was adhered to the Kraft textured layer with dimensionals.

I added the Real Red layer which was pierced on both sides and then added a 5/8" piece of Chocolate Chip grosgrain.  Finally, I added three Chocolate Chip corduroy buttons and made certain all the pattern in the buttons was facing the same direction.  I knew that if I didn't check them, Thom would catch it.  Can you say, "A-null, A-null, A-null!"  I've gotten to the point that I can almost anticipate his comments before he makes them and I actually picked up on the fact that the corduroy wasn't all facing one direction.  Yes, six years of marriage later and I'm finally getting it!

Here's the inside:

When I got home today, I had to work on laundry, normal clean up around the house, etc.  I had to prep a craft project for the Young Lives group (20 people) and finish the cards I started yesterday, as well as making this card.  My hands, wrists and arms are screaming at me -- carpal tunnel still an issue, but I was able to work for more than an hour without pain.  We're getting there....

However, my tree is leaning and my sentiments are leaning -- too darned bad.  The sentiment is from Christmas Greetings set and the tree is another one from the Patterned Pines set.  I cut the three tree image apart and really like them separately much better than together.

Okay, that's it for me for today.  Andy has a ball game tonight and we are going to an OSU ball game tomorrow so I doubt seriously I get an opportunity to stamp.  Look for something new on Monday.  Have a fabulous weekend!  Thanks for visiting!

Blogger's Challenge - Birthday Themed

It's Friday and that means another edition of Blogger's Challenge!  And I made it!  At this point, I'll take all the small celebrations I can get -- I'm slowly recovering from carpal tunnel and I'm very happy that the braces are working.  That and all the rest I'm getting becuase my stamping studio now asks for ID whenever I try to enter...

Blogger's Challenge was to be birthday related today.  Here's my card:

When this set, Pun Fun, first debuted, I wasn't crazy about it.  Everyone else used the heck out of it, but it just wasn't the type of card I normally make.  So, it took me awhile (read over on year) to climb on the band wagon.  Now, I'm starting to enjoy making whimsical cards and have been stretched out of my comfort zone enough that I actually reach for this set!

I started with a Regal Rose cardbase.  I cut a layer of the Rose  Red Designer Series Paper from the Thoroughly Modern paper pack and used White Craft Ink to stamp a design with the Baroque Motifs stamp set.  I randomly inked and stamped to add some interest to this piece.  I stamped my Hippo in Black Staz-On ink on Whisper White cardstock and used my Watercolor Wonder crayons and aqua painter to color Lady Hippo using Grey, Rose Red, Regal Rose and Black.  I added a layer of Basic Grey cardstock to my stamped image and adhered these two layers together after ripping the bottoms of both pieces. 

I tied a lenth of White Taffeta ribbon around the Regal Rose layer and adhered this to my card.  Next, I added the stamped image, using dimensionals to give it some height.  For some punch, I used a couple of Rose Red Felt Flowers from the Flower Fusion kit, along with a silk flower from the Pretties Kit and a small pink brad to add a flower to this card.  I have made so many Christmas cards that I needed a diversion and thought this would be a bright touch for this card.

I should have stamped my sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes on the image itself, but I didn't determine that until after I had stamped it on the bottom right of my card in Rose Red ink.  I should also have stamped it in black ink, but didn't figure that one out either...oh well...practice makes perfect.  If I remake this card, that is what I would do!  As it is, this card will suffice.  Especially since my stamping time has been limited at best.  I itch to get into my room and just spend the entire day creating!

Hope all is well with you and yours and that everyone you love is healthy and safe.  That is what I wish for most this Christmas!  Hugs to you all!  I'm off to see what all the talented Blogger's Challenge ladies have created -- they completely and totally inspire me each and every week!