Stamp Simply #96--Black and White

It's time for another Stamp Simply Challenge! We're moving right along--this is challenge #96! Today, Sharon challenges us to use black and white--here's what she says:

July 17 - ssnotime96 - Little Black Dress - The staple of every woman's wardrobe -- or so they say. How many of you actually HAVE a little black dress? Not me! Anyway, today's challenge is to make a project of understated elegance using black and white. If you need to add in a little pop of another color, that's fine, as long as the project is primarily black and white and it's overall feel is that of understated elegance. I think this one will produce some real beauties! Can't wait to see!!

And here's my card. Definitely understated (for me, LOL!) and definitely stamped simply--you'll have to decide whether or not it's elegant :) Unfortunately, I had to use my last sympathy card so I took advantage of the colors to add one to my stash. The images (the focal image is actually the semtiment image stamped inside the border image) are from Flourishes' set called Thinking Of You and were stamped on Whisper White with Versafine Onyx Black ink. Then cut/embossed with an Oval Nestabilities die and matted with another using Basic Black. My patterned paper is from the Black Tie 6 x 6 pad by Memory Box. The horizontal element is layered on Basic Black with it's border punched and with a sheer black ribbon tied around. The bow was made with my Bow Easy--perfect bows every time!

Come along and play with us and take the challenge--we'd love to see what you come up with. If you do, be sure to leave a comment on Sharon's blog telling her where you uploaded. Please use the keyword ssnotime96 if you upload to a public forum. Check out Sharon's fabulous sample and also the great designs from the Stamp Simply team:

Rose Ann - July Guest Designer

Julie Koerber

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

A J Otto

Tammy Hershberger

Deb Saarenen

Jenny Gropp

I'm so glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Thinking Of You (Flourishes)
Paper:Whisper White, Basic Black (SU!); Black Tie (Memory Box)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, rhinestones, sheer ribbon (craft store); lattice border punch (Martha Stewart); ticket corner punch (SU!)

You're Simply Sweet

This card is for the newest sketch challenge over at the My Favorite Things forum on Splitcoast. Every Thursday we get a new sketch and a new My Favorite Challenge posted on a new thread where we also chat during the next week. Come on over and join in the fun!

And don't forget to check out the newest releases at MFT--you can see them all here. Oh! And for lots of luscious eye candy, check out the blog hop from Tuesday night. You'll be glad you did :)

This image is from the Here's the Scoop set and was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers. I added some Christmas Red Stickles to the cherry for some bling :) The patterned paper is from the new Lemonade 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey and my card stock is Pretty In Pink, Soft Sky, and Kiwi Kiss, and I stitched around the patterned paper. Following the sketch I added some ribbon and the sentiment and used some Dew Drops for accent.

I'm so glad you stopped by today--hope you'll play along with us this week!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Here's the Scoop (MFT)
Paper: Lemonade 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey); Whisper White, Pretty In Pink, Soft Sky, and Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares (craft store); Copic markers; Dew Drops; sewing machine; ribbon (SU!); Stickles

Color Throwdown #51--Sponsored by DRS Designs

[If you're looking for the MFT blog hop post, scroll down to the next post.]

Good morning! It's Color Throwdown day and have we got some new excitement for you! First of all, Cathy is the hostess this week and chose Lavender Lace, Garden Green, and So Saffron. Lovely colors together!


AND, this week marks the beginning of a new program--sponsors!! Our first ever sponsor is DRS Designs! Check out the Throwdown blog for information about the company. They generously sent the design team stamps to use and this is the card I made with the stamps they sent me. The plant shelf image is #K097 Plant Shelf and can be found here. And the sentiment is #B254 One Line Get Well Soon and can be found here. I can tell you these are high quality stamps--rubber that is DEEPLY etched, producing a perfect image.

Now, guess what? Some lucky someone will win a DRS Designs stamp this week. That's right! Play along with us and we'll randomly choose one of the entrants to win a free stamp! How's that for incentive? Do I have your attention? OK, good, now on to my card ;-)

I've loved this potted plant shelf image ever since the first time I saw it used and was so glad to get my hands on it! I stamped it on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. I used my brand new airbrush system to lightly color the background a pale yellow red to reduce the starkness of the white. Then it was cut/embossed with a Petite Oval Nestabilities die and matted with a scalloped oval in Garden Green. My patterned paper is from the 6 x 6 Poppyfinch pack by Memory Box and was border punched with a Martha Stewart punch. Lavender ribbon and some buttons from my stash along with some lavender brads complete the picture!

C'mon over to the Color Throwdown blog and play along with us this week. Please use Mr. Linky to post your card and please link directly to your card so we can find it easily. If you upload your card to a public forum, please use the keyword CTD51 so we can see your beauty all in one place. Hope to see you there! And don't forget--this week there's a chance to win some free rubbah!!!

Be sure to check out what the other team members have come up with this week:
Broni Holcombe--Splashes of Watercolor
Cathy Indelicato--Crafty Thoughts
Danielle Kennedy--Wild Dragonfly Designs
LeAnne Pugliese--Wee Inklings
Tammy Hershberger--Stamp Happy
Juliana Swanson/July Guest Designer - Stampin' With Inky Fingers

I'm so glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: #K097 Plant Shelf and #B254 One Line Get Well Soon (DRS Designs)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Lavender Lace, So Saffron, Garden Green (SU!); Pure Luxury 80 lb paper (Gina K); Poppyfinch (Memeory Box)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, Perle cotton, brads (craft store); Copic markers; buttons (stash); border punch (Martha Stewart)

My Favorite Things Blog Hop!!!

It's blog hop time for the mid-month releases over at My Favorite Things. If you stumbled onto this post, then do yourself a favor and go back to the beginning at Kim's blog so you don't miss a thing! If you came here from Kathy's blog, you're right on track :)

Three new sets are being released and here's the skinny:

Annie LaPoint Spread a Harvest of Hope $9
Bubble Bunny $9
Feelin’ Fruity? $17.95

You can find them here.

Weekly Spotlight: My Favorite Copic Collection

HTDT Tutorial: Copic markers: advanced blending techniques with Candice

First 50: Memento Dew Drop Collection! The first 50 prize will be a Memento Dew Drop and each week, we will feature a NEW color. If you place an order each Wednesday and are in the first 50 orders, you will that week's Dew Drop for FREE. This week, the first 50 will receive a FREE Memento Dew Drop in Bamboo Leaves with their order.

Don't forget to join in the fun challenges at the MFT Forum on Splitcoast. There are prizes to be won :)

And, if you haven't done so already, check out this:

We are pleased and proud to introduce something fresh, fun and completely distinctive – MFT Kits!

Each month, a new Kit will be revealed,
complete with an exclusive, unreleased
stamp set, and the items you’ll need to
complete a very special project (s).

The set included with your MFT Kit is a brand new, unreleased set, and will not be available for a period of at least 3 months after the MFT Kit containing the set is released.

This week’s release and promo info:

By The Seashore Kit $25
Kit contents:

*On The Pier (mini stamp set)

*6 die-cut tall gable boxes in ocean blue

*15 yards of hemp in natural

*6 Perfect Paper Panels

*5 yards, 3/8” twill in natural

*100 aged copper brads

*Memento Dew Drop in Rich Cocoa

*Project sheet download

Check out this fabulous project with this month's kit in Michele's Weekly Spotlight post. This set coordinates perfectly with By the Seashore, so you have a lot of design possibilities!

For even more inspiration, check out Kathy's How'd They Do That? tutorial on the MFT Member Company Forum at SCS!

Whew! Lots going on! Now on to my project for the hop! I'm using Feelin' Fruity? for my project tonight How cute is this set???!!!!!!??? The minute I laid eyes on it I thought: RETRO!!!! It took me back in time and I could see the fruit on my granny's curtains and aprons. And, I immediately knew what I would do--a recipe album. I've been waiting for My Favorite Things to come out with a set that I could use for a recipe album. This was not what I expected but I'm thrilled with it!! I'm not going to go into a lot of detail since this post is going to be a long one already, and the pictures will probably tell the story well enough. Again, if you want any specific information, don't hesitate to email me. My overall "style" is sorta shabby, I guess, so I'm callin' it "Shabby Retro" ;-) Love that Typewriter font for a retro look.

I do want to point out that this book is a little bit GREEN. I recycled the white sheets that come with SU! DSP for the covers and pages--just cut them into 6 x 6 squares and glued them together--3 for each of the covers and 2 for each page. I feel so virtuous, LOL! All of the fruit is paper pieced with a little bit of coloring with Copic markers. I've done lots of distressing, both with ink and a sanding block.

Here's the front cover (the back cover is identical, without any embellishments). I used the Bling 'Bet set for my lettering.

Pages 1 and 2:

Pages 3 and 4:

Pages 5 and 6:

Pages 7 and 8:

I hope you like this album as much as I do--I had a ton of fun putting it together and I'm thinking it will make a nice gift--if I can bear to part with it, that is!

I'm so glad you stopped by! Now head on over to the fabulous Candice's blog and see what gorgeousness she has in store for you :)

~Recipe~
Stamps: Feelin' Fruity?, Bling 'Bet (MFT)
Paper: Old Olive, Sage Shadow, Ruby Red, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Close To Cocoa, Really Rust (SU!); parchment paper (Office Max); Scrapbook pack (DCWV)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Ranger Distress Ink in Tea Dye
Accessories: Prima flowers; Inksentials applicator and pad; tiny paper clip (Tim Holtz), paper crimper, ribbon, brads/hardware, Perle cotton, tearing ruler (craft store); buttons (stash); printer; tags (Office Max); border punch (Martha Stewart)

Did someone say 'Flopsey'?

Another sneak peek of the new My Favorite Things' Flopsey--I can't get enough of him!!! He goes on sale tonight at 10pm along with two more new sets for the mid-month release. And don't forget the blog hop that starts, also at 10pm, at Kim's blog.

OK, Flopsey was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored with Copic markers. The tub was paper pieced and I added some iridescent Stickles to the bubbles. I cut him out and matted him with Very Vanilla cut/embossed with a Nestabilities die and sponged with Creamy Caramel ink, then layered on Ruby Red and Old Olive. Lace, ribbon, and buttons frame the sentiment and a few Dew Drops accent the upper left corner. My patterned paper is Stella Ruby (apparently retired, but drop dead gorgeous) by Basic Grey and I'm using Ruby Red and Old Olive card stock.

Hope to see you tonight at the hop! There's blog candy somewhere along the way ;-)

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Bubble Bunny MFT)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Ruby Red, Old Olive (SU!); Stella Ruby (Basic Grey); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Spellbinders dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, Perle cotton (craft store), Copic markers; buttons, lace (stash); Dew Drops

Spread a Harvest Of Hope

Today I've got another little sneaky peek of the upcoming release at My Favorite Things. This one is called Spread a Harvest of Hope, designed by Annie LaPointe.

I stamped the image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. My patterned paper is Dutch Girl by Cosmo Cricket and I'm using Riding Hood Red and Sage Shadow card stock. I've got some stitching going on and I distressed the edges of each element with a distressing tool and the focal image also with Ranger Distress Ink in Antique Linen. Two layers of ribbon and some buttons add accent across the bottom.

Be sure to check back tomorrow night at 9pm for the July mid-month release blog hop, starting at Kim's blog and the new sets go on sale at 10pm.
And there's a new Bubble Bin today--check it out!

To celebrate our 3rd birthday, we’ve decided to throw a Bubble Bin $3 Bash! This week only, through July 19th, all sets in the Bin are $3!!!! Have fun!

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Spread a Harvest Of Hope (MFT)
Paper: Dutch Girl (Cosmo Cricket); Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Riding Hood Red (SU!); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Antique Linen
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store) Copic markers; buttons (stash); distressing tool (Tim Holtz); sewing machine

Sneak peek, anyone?

Wanna see one of the new sets that My Favorite Things is releasing on July 14? OK, you twisted my arm ;-) Here's a new Flopsey and he's the cutest yet! Yeah, I do say that every time, don't I? But he is!! Flopsey is being pampered in a bubble bath and lovin' it.

The focal image was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers--and I added a little glitter pen on the bubbles. My patterned paper is from the new June Bug 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey and my card stock is Kiwi Kiss and Sweet Blush from PTI. For the next element I ran the Sweet Blush through my Cuttlebug with the Bubbles embossing folder and I did some stitching on the focal image and the base card. The ribbon is some 1 1/4" moire' that I've had forevah and finally found a use for! That big ole green button is from a scoop 'o buttons that I got at a scrapbook store and the pink one is from My Favorite Things Chocolate Kiss collection, both tied on with DMC embroidery floss in #166.

Be sure and check back tomorrow for a sneak from another set.

Oh, did I mention that this weekend, My Favorite Things is continuing its month-long 3rd birthday bash! From Fri. July 10th - Sun. July 12th, ALL in-stock, full sized Who's That Girl? sets are 15% off!!!

Out of stock sets (including Catch Some Rays) and 3 x 4 MINI sets are NOT included.

The discount will automatically be applied to your order; the correct price from all applicable sets is already deducted.

And!

We still have a stash of 6 x 6 Daisy Bucket Papers, so EVERY order that requires shipping will receive a sampler until the supply runs out.

We'll be celebrating all month long at MFT, and the presents are all for YOU!

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Bubble Bunny (My Favorite Things)
Paper: June Bug (Basic Grey); Spring Blush(PTI); Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Perfect Paper Panel (MFT)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Bubbles embossing folder; 3M foam squares, ribbon, floss (craft store); pink button (MFT); green button (scrapbook store); Copic markers; Sakura clear glitter pen

Time To Celebrate!

Here's another card using one of My Favorite Things' latest releases--Puttin' On the Glitz. I really love this set! And when I spied this DP I flipped--it's so perfect for this image! This paper is called Girly Girl Dress Up and Girly Girl Gossip and it's by K I Memories. I'm using Kiwi Kiss and Pink Passion card stock with it. The image was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Copic markers, cut out/embossed with a Nestabilities Petite Oval die, matted with two layers of card stock, and is up on 3M foam squares. It's hard to see, but I used a Sakura glitter pen on her earrings and bracelet to give them some shimmer. The horizontal element is Kiwi Kiss card stock with fancy ribbon attached with sparkly brads and is also up on foam squares, as is the sentiment, which is from the same set and has a couple of green jewels as accents. That's it--hope you like it as much as I do!

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Puttin' On the Glitz (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Passion, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Perfect Paper Panel (MFT); Girly Girl Dress Up and Girly Girl Gossip (K I Memories)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, jewels, brads, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers

Sun & Fun--Stamp Simply #95

It's another Stamp Simply Challenge day and Sharon wants us to make some sparks fly! Here's the challenge in her words:

July 10 - ssnotime95 - Let the Sparks Fly! - I know the 4th is over, but fireworks are a big deal around here and the sparks are still flying! So let's make some sparks of our own today -- or at least *sparkles* -- today let us use glitter, generous amounts of glitter (if you like) so our creations sparkle away and catch the eye. Let's create our own fireworks here in blogland! Have fun getting sparkly!!! (If you are not a glitter user, then just make sure you add some sparkly feature to your project!)

Glitter and I have a love-hate relationship--I love to see it but I hate to use it, LOL. So, for my sparkle, I decided to use jewels and a little glitter paper. This is the first time I've used this Bling 'Bet set from My Favorite Things (also appears to be sold out right now, but check back often!), so this challenge made me get it out and use it--a good thing!

My main image is from the latest Who's That Girl line at My Favorite Things called Catch Some Rays. I stamped it on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Colored it with Copic markers. My patterned paper is from the Fun In the Sun mat stack by DCWV and I'm using Tempting Turquoise and Pumpkin Pie card stock. The letters were stamped with Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pin, and Summer Sun, cut out, and blinged up! The sun and the ampersand were cut with my Cuttlebug Yard Sale alphabet dies using the Glitter Stack, also from DCWV. The umbrella was stamped on more patterned paper, cut out, and popped up on 3M foam squares. I punched the sun with Martha Stewart's star burst punch and made the center, which is up on a bit of foam square, with a 1/2" punch.

This card is not my usual--I was out of my comfort zone again making it but I love how it turned out! Thanks, Sharon, for challenging me!!

Now, be sure to check out the other team members' sparkly creations--we'd love to see what you come up with. If you do, be sure to leave a comment on Sharon's blog telling her where you uploaded. Please use the keyword ssnotime95 if you upload to a public forum. Check out Sharon's fabulous sample and also the great designs from the Stamp Simply team:

Rose Ann - July Guest Designer

Julie Koerber

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

A J Otto

Tammy Hershberger

Deb Saarenen

Jenny Gropp

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Catch Some Rays, Bling 'Bet (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise (SU!); Fun in the Sun, Glitter Stack (DCWV)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/alphabet dies; 3M foam squares, rhinestones (craft store); starburst punch (Martha Stewart); 1/2" circle punch, ticket corner punch (SU!)

Tea For Two--MFTSC#89

I'm using My Favorite Things Sketch for this week--#89--for this card. This challenge and the new My Favorite Challenge starts today, so head on over to the forum and check it out!

I'm using My Favorite Things' Tea For Two, which seems to be sold out right now, but keep checking back. The patterned paper is from the new Lemonade collection by Basic Grey and my card stock is Rose Red and Sage Shadow. The focal image was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxudo Black ink and colored with Copic markers, then matted and popped up on 3M foam squares. I did some paper piercing in the corners of the base card Rose Red layer and added the sentiment. I love this little mousie in the tea cup, don't you?

So, hop on over the the forum and join in the chat and challenges--we'd love to see what you come up with!

And, if you haven't done so already, check out this:

We are pleased and proud to introduce something fresh, fun and completely distinctive – MFT Kits!

Each month, a new Kit will be revealed,
complete with an exclusive, unreleased
stamp set, and the items you’ll need to
complete a very special project (s).

The set included with your MFT Kit is a brand new, unreleased set, and will not be available for a period of at least 3 months after the MFT Kit containing the set is released.

This week’s release and promo info:

07/08/09
Release: By The Seashore Kit $25
Kit contents:

*On The Pier (mini stamp set)

*6 die-cut tall gable boxes in ocean blue

*15 yards of hemp in natural

*6 Perfect Paper Panels

*5 yards, 3/8” twill in natural

*100 aged copper brads

*Memento Dew Drop in Rich Cocoa

*Project sheet download

Check out this fabulous project with this month's kit in Michele's Weekly Spotlight post. This set coordinates perfectly with By the Seashore, so you have a lot of design possibilities!

For even more inspiration, check out Kathy's How'd They Do That? tutorial on the MFT Member Company Forum at SCS!

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Tea For Two (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red, Sage Shadow (SU!); Lemonade 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers; Ornare paper piercing template/tool; 1" circle, oval, large oval punches (SU!); corner rounder (EK Success)