Make Mine Stamps

Sometimes, it isn't pretty....

Sometimes I enter a sketch or color challenge and the card that comes out of my fingertips just isn't what my brain envisioned.  Does that ever happen to you?  I generally don't show you too many of my mishap cards, but today, I've got a severe headache (color it sinus!) and I'm not going to get anything else created.  So, in order to show you that I have my share of "ugly" cards, here is one.

 Yep...I know...it's a color and sketch challenge gone bad.  I desperately wanted to wrap some ribbon around this puppy, but the sketch was pretty explicit.  So here are the details (this way, you can avoid making an ugly card like this one!).

I started with a Rich Razzleberry base and added a layer of Cottage Wall DSP.  The color challenge was Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum and Certainly Celery (and this is a great combo, truly!).  I colored the image with my markers and used the three challenge colors.  Now, just in case you wondered, the circle was part of the sketch challenge or it would not have found its way onto my card. 

I layered the image onto Certainly Celery.  You'll note the piercing details and I stamped the sentiment using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.  I'm loving that clever little tool, let me tell ya!  I layered this onto Rich Razzleberry and used dimensionals to add this to my card.

The bottom sentiment is from Heard from the Heart and I was hoping to give this card some pop.  I think it fizzled!

At any rate, I've got my plate full working on cards for my Card Club this month.  We're doing five cards for $10 (I'm treating them to an extra card this month on me since it is my birthday month) and I'm trying to put together some samples for the Library for classes I would like to do.  The John McIntire Library makes things as easy as possible for me to teach classes.  All I have to do is what I enjoy -- create and teach.  I don't have to worry about registration or collection of supply fees -- anything.  And the facility is absolutely top-notch. The people are the best and besides that -- IT'S THE LIBRARY!  Oh how I would love to get locked into the library overnight.  Next to stamps, books are my passion!  I don't eat or drink when I'm stamping or reading -- who needs to?

You know how sometime you want to do something, you keep saying you want to do it, but you don't get it done?  Well, I took the first step today.  Because I've got so much "stuff" and am such a paper and stamp hoarder (notice those first two letters in that word?), I made up a few samples and approached the Muskingum County Center for Seniors.  I'm going to make 400 3x3 Easter Cards for the Meals on Wheels program, which truly is near and dear to my heart.  I think this program is so worthwhile and although I've never delivered a meal, this is one way I can help out.  I'd love to help bring a smile to the faces of the dear ones who receive this service and now I can.  So, that's how many cards I have to make each day for the next three weeks?  Hmmm.  Better do the math and start cutting!

Okay, 'nuff talk.  More Sketch Challenge entries tomorrow and I hope I'll be able to put together the prize packages between today and tomorrow so I can post them by Friday.  Stay tuned!  And don't worry -- every now and then an ugly card escapes from all of us who stamp.  Do you suppose I could make the excuse that I had a headache while I was crafting this card?  Is it even worth the breath I would have to expend to get that excuse out?

It's a Boy!

One of Andy's teachers is pregnant with her second child and her first child is 16 years old!  Yep, you read that right!  The entire family is extremely excited!  Shelby is 16 and very active in high school, but she is ready to be a big sister.  It will be like having two only children...glad it isn't me, but who doesn't love the thought of a new baby to love and cherish?

One of my stamping buddies, Krista Visser-Driessen, from The Netherlands, has been designing her own stamps.  I am always drawn to her cards because our styles are very similar -- I just love her work!  And, truthfully, when I see a picture of a card in my email, I can generally say, "Oooh, Krista, that is beautiful!" without even looking to see who made it.  She's just got a very clean style -- like I want to have!

Krista was kind enough to send me some of her stamps, and although I have only gotten to play with one set, one time, for a few minutes, I wanted to share the card I will put with the scrapbook I am making for Andy's teacher.  Once the scrapbook is completed, I will share it with you, but that is a ways down the road.  The baby is due in May, so I've got a bit of time to complete it.  And, once I start, I'll finish it in one or two days -- that is my pattern with baby scrapbooks as I love babies and I don't want to stop until I finish.

The internet has connected our world in so many ways it is unbelieveable to me.  When I do a sketch challenge or a color challenge, I see that women from around the world are entering and I love that!  Here, I actually used a sketch challenge issued from a group in the Netherlands to make this card. 

I started with a Bashful Blue card base.  The polka dot layer is from the Bashful Blue printed DSP that Stampin' Up! does in some of our regular colors.  I reached for this immediately because it is soft and the polka dots are a very gentle pattern.  I used a layer of Bashful Blue to pierce each side and random stamped stars from the set that Krista sent me all over both pieces.  Next, I stamped the word "Baby" on white and used my Stampin' Write marker and the air tool to blow some of the Bashful Blue color onto the Whisper White -- it just looked too stark against the Bashful Blue.  I stamped and cut out four of the stars to add to the right hand edge of my Whisper White piece and attached these with either dimensionals or glue dots so they aren't all at the same height.

I stamped my sentiment in the bottom right corner -- after all, what baby isn't a star in someone's eyes?  Babies are such a nice way to start people....I can't remember where I read it or who said it, but it is so true.

Here's a link to Krista's site.  Check out her stamps and her cards -- she is an absolutely delightful and talented stamper.  http://www.zokris.wordpress.com/  I look forward to working with this set more, as well as the other set she so graciously sent me.

Okay, off to work.  I'm teaching my library class tonight and I am praying it goes well.  I want to open the world of stamping up to those who may not have caught the bug...yet.  I can't draw or paint, but ANYONE can stamp.  If I can do it, trust me, you can too!

May God richly bless you today and always!

It's a Shower Card!

We are attending a wedding shower on Saturday and I needed a card to go with the bag I crafted last Friday.  Our Bride-to-Be is receiving a gift card so the presentation is especially important.  I'm also going to try to get some Thank You cards made in her colors, but with all that is on my plate this week, I'm not so certain this will happen.  Here's the card and yes, it resembles a card you saw last week (but I couldn't resist because I love these little gift packages!):

Aubrey's colors are Cherry Red and White and I took liberty with the gift bag by adding black.  If you want to see the bag, scroll down to last Friday's blogpost. 

I started with the Real Red basecard.  Once again, I pulled out the Bridal DSP and used that as my first layer.  I wrapped the Real Red Polka Dotted Grosgrain around the layer and wrapped the Whisper White taffeta around the Real Red ribbon.  Notice how I NEVER use that polka dot side?  I have light sensitive eyes and too much pattern is too hard for me to view -- just really glad it is all double sided!

I punched out 1 1/4" squares of the two Bridal DSPs and brayered them with Real Red ink -- love how that design pops out when you brayer the ink on top!  The other red is from the Christmas Cocoa Collection and is felted -- feels great!  I put the 1 1/4" squares on 1 3/8" squares of Whisper White or Real Red and added the tissue and then the gold cord.  The packages are attached with dimensionals.  Aren't they cute?  Doesn't this card just scream "Gift Card -- Let's go shopping!"?  I stamped the sentiment from Well Scripted in Real Red Ink.

Yep, it's a repeat but it really is different in how it was created with only two colors.  The first one was much easier because of all the paper possibilities.  However, I was determined to make this work.  If I get to the Thank You cards, they will be created with the Bridal DSP and Real Red as well.  We'll have to see what I can come up with....

Have a fabulous Tuesday and count your blessings...then send a smile to someone who needs it!

Thanks so much for stopping!

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!

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!

Happy President's Day!

Thom let me have the day off and I'm designing to my hearts content.  I've got all my cards prepped for my class at the library and I just need to finish my handout.  I've also designed the page I will be doing at Young Lives on Saturday for their craft and that is the hardest part.  Now, I just need to cut everything and get it prepared for them to use.

Here's is one of the cards we are doing at the library.

The basecard is Chocolate Chip.  I used a layer of Pretty in Pink and embossed it in the Big Shot with my Dots Folder.  The layer of DSP is from the Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper Pack.  I've have used so much of this and yet, there is so much left!  I stamped the focal image from Happy Moments in Brown Staz On ink and colored it with my Stampin' Write markers in Pretty In Pink and Rose Red, along with So Saffron for the candle flame.  This image is mounted on Rose Red and because I wanted to pull some of the Tempting Turquoise from the DSP, I stamped my sentiment and used a punch to add this to my card. 

It needed ribbon and dimension so I added the new Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon along the DSP and then added my focal image with dimensionals.  Easy!  I think it looks festive and happy.

We're getting snow...more snow!  Thom loved his Valentine's Day Card and it did arrive on Saturday so it was timely.  I'm off to pick up lunch for Thom and then I'll be back at it this afternoon.

See you tomorrow!

New Stamp and Challenges!

I received a gift certificate from a local crafters haven and found myself walking through today.  I found the perfect stamp for several women I know and have plans to make many cards using this particular stamp.  When cruising through several of my favorite challenge sites, I combined a sketch challenge and a color challenge.  The colors are Going Gray, Rose Red and Pretty In Pink.

If you can read the sentiment, you will understand why this particular stamp really moved me.  And the colors of the color challenge were absolutely perfect!

I started with a Going Gray basecard.  I scalloped a Rose Red layer and pierced it toward the bottom.  The next layer is Pretty in Pink and it is wrapped with a Rose 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, as well as silver cording that I used to represent the Going Gray.

On the focal image, I inked the stamp in Rose Red and stamped it on Whisper White, leaving room for the ribbon, which is a combination of Rose Red, Pretty In Pink and Silver Cord.  The ribbon is attached with glue dots.

When I adhered the top layers to the base card, I used dimensionals to set it apart a bit.  I love the soft colors, but more than anything, I love the verse.  I do know so many women, and men!, who will totally understand this verse and feel a kinship to these words.

Tomorrow is Blogger's Challenge.  I am looking forward to checking out what the super creative women in this group come up with on Friday.  I'm off to see what I can come up too.....

Stay safe and warm!