Grow Love--Plant a Tree

I love this new My Favorite Things set--Grow Love. LOVE those trees!!! And, I can't wait for Fall to get here. So when I saw the OCC challenge for this week, this set immediately came to mind. The challenge is an inspiration challenge and you can see it here. I pulled out last year's fall paper pad from K & Co. (which I love so much I bought several pads) and went to work. I was inspired by the colors and the roll of the landscape--here's what I came up with.

My base card is So Saffron with a layer of Chocolate Chip, then strips of DP. The trees were stamped on DP with Memento Rich Cocoa and cut out, and I used Chocolate Chip for the trunks. I wrapped some hemp around--kinda looks like a fence, don't you think? I added brads to the corners and buttons (Vintage collection from PTI) to the tree, tied on with linen thread from SU! I guess that's about it. Actually pretty simple but I really, really like how it turned out! Oh, the sentiment and the far left tree are popped up on 3M foam squares.

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Grow Love (MFT)
Paper: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip (SU!); Fall Harvest (K & Co.)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: 3M foam squares, hemp, brads (craft store); Vintage Buttons (PTI); linen thread (SU!)

Sharing in your sorrow

Unfortunately, I'm low on sympathy cards. This new set, Thoughts and Prayers, from SU! has gorgous images and sentiments so I thought I'd give it a whirl and start rebuilding my stash. I really love this image. I'm using the sketch from the current OCC challenge and this one also qualifies for Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday challenge this week.

My base card is More Mustard with layers of Not Quite Navy, Mellow Moss, and DP from Crafty Secrets' Earthy pad. The next element is two rows of ribbon that is exactly Not Quite Navy IRL. The next element is More Mustard with the reverse of the base card DP and some antique brass brads and is up on 3M foam squares. The focal image was stamped on Very Vanilla with Mellow Moss and Chocolate Chip SU! markers. It was then cut/embossed with a Petite Oval Nestabilities die and the edges sponged with More Mustard before being matted with a Mellow Moss scalloped layer. It's also up on foam squares. I used more of the DP for the Build a brad and added a Not Quite Navy bird punched out with a Martha Stewart punch.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Thoughts and Prayers (SU!)
Paper: More Mustard, Not Quite Navy, Mellow Moss, Very Vanilla (SU!); Earthy (Crafty Secrets)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, ribbon, brads (craft store); punch (Martha Stewart); Buildabrad (SU!)

Hang in there!

This card is for SCS Inspiration Challenge #168. Inspiration was to come from some item at Flutter. I chose this chandelier. As soon as I saw it I thought of the Crafty Secrets' Chandelier Fun stamp that I got several weeks ago in error. When I emailed Crafty Secrets, I was told to keep it for my trouble and they sent the right stamp set immediately. So, I thought I'd put that stamp to good use for this challenge. It's also for Our Creative Corner Challenge this week--to use a tag on a card. Got it covered!

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Basic Black, Apricot Appeal, and DP from Basic Grey's Scarlett's Letter 6 x 6 pad. This paper has a little bit of apricot, which gave me an opportunity to use Apricot Appeal, which is a color I rarely use.

The focal image was stamped on Whisper White with Versamark and heat embossed with black embossing powder. I colored the "flames" with an Apricot Appeal Stampin' Up! marker, layered it on Apricot Appeal and Basic Black, popped it up on 3M foam squares, and called it done! The sentiment is from the chandelier set and was stamped on a small piece of DP with Basic Black, cut/embossed with a Nestabilities tag die, and matted with a larger tag in Basic Black. A couple of flat-back black shiny "pearls" in the right lower corner finish it off. A sheer black ribbon tied around in a bow under the focal image was the only thing else it needed, I think. Pretty simple but elegant, don't you think?

Thanks for dropping in!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Chandelier Fun (Crafty Secrets)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Apricot Appeal (SU!); Scarlett's Letter 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Basic Black (SU!); Versamark
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities tag dies; 3M foam squares, black hemp, ribbon, flat-back black "pearls" (craft store); black embossing powder; heat gun

Measuring life

This card is for the second Viva la Verve Sketch With a {Twist} for February. I'm really loving Amber's sketches--and the twist, LOL. This week's twist is NO design paper! Whoa!! So, I immediately thought of the background stamp from Verve's Artful Elegance set. It also is for Our Creative Corner's latest challenge: use your favorite embellishment for inspiration. OK. If I have to pick *one* embellishment, it would have to be ribbon! So I planned this card around some ribbon I'd had in my stash for a while.

My base card is Very Vanilla with layers of Chocolate Chip, Kraft, and Tempting Turquoise that was stamped with the background stamp and Tempting Turquoise ink. The next element is Chocolate Chip and Kraft, both layers cut/embossed with circle Nestabilities dies. The next element is more of all three colors, with the inspiration ribbon and is up on 3M foam squares. The focal element was stamped on Very Vanilla with Chocolate Chip and a stamp from Verve's Beautiful You set. I love this set. It has such great sentiments and is so versatile. It was cut/embossed with an oval die and matted with Chocolate Chip. Before I matted it, I ran a Tempting Turquoise marker around the edge to give it a little color. It's also up on foam squares. Dew Drops from the Cowboy collection accent the ribbon element, following the sketch.

Thanks for dopping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Artful Elegance, Beautiful You (Verve)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Kraft, and Tempting Turquoise (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug, circle and oval Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Dew Drops (Robins Nest)

So many challenges...

...so little time :)

This card is for TECC53 (a sketch) and this week's OCCC (to use two or more hearts on a project). Got it all covered :)

My base card is Whisper White with two layers of paper from the My Mind's Eye Designer Paper pad and then a layer of K & Co. paper called Smitten Heart Stripe. The next element is two patterns of DP. The focal image is from Hearts Galore by MFT and is stamped on Whisper White with Close To Cocoa ink and is cut/embossed with a rectangle Nestabilities die, layered on a scalloped rectangle, and then again on another plain rectangle, again using the DP. I punched a slot on the focal image and tied on a sheer peachy-pink-with-a-white-thread ribbon. I stamped a heart from the set on DP in Close To Cocoa and punched it out with a Martha Stewart punch and tied it to the ribbon with linen thread--the whole thing is popped up on 3M foam squares. Three white pearl flat backed hearts provide balance. Sweet paper, sweet sentiment, great sketch. What's not to like?

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Hearts Galore (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White (SU!); Designer Paper pack (My Mind's Eye); Smitten Heart Stripe (K & Co.)
Ink: Close To Cocoa (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); flat backed hearts (Hero Arts); heart punch (Martha Stewart)

It's Still Winter With a Blue Twist

Whew! This card combines three challenges! Viva la Verve #2 (sketch with a twist of bling), No Time To Stamp #69 (It's Still Winter), and Our Creative Corner (two shades of blue with a neutral). Well, no stamp set could do these better than Verve's Snow Wonderful, IMO. All images on this card are from this set.

My base card is Whisper White, with a layer of Basic Black, a layer of Bashful Blue, and finally a layer of Whisper White that I ran through my Cuttlebug with the Snowflake folder.

The next element is Basic Black and then Whisper White, on which I stamped the snowflake border in Bashful Blue. The bling starts here :) The next element is Basic Black, Bashful Blue, and the focal image using Neenah Solar White paper. This is my first foray into Copic coloring. I know, it's just a teeny tiny bit, but it's a start! And I think it's OK for a first attempt, but I think I need a lighter gray for outlining. I stamped the snowman in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored hin with two shades of blue (see picture of the Copics I used below); his buttons add more bling. This element is popped up on 3M foam squares. The sentiment was stamped on Whisper White with Basic Black, punched with a SU! large oval punch, and is attached to two felt snowflakes with a glittery snowflake brad. One more blue rhinestone dots the Winter "i" and black gingham ribbon completes the sketch requirements. I love this card and I hope you do too!



~Recipe~
Stamps: Snow Wonderful (Verve)
Paper: Neenah Solar White (Papertrey Ink); Whisper White, Basic Black, Bashful Blue (SU!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Basic Black, Bashful Blue (SU!)
Accessories: felt snowflakes; blue jewels (Hero Arts); ribbon, 3M foam squares, snowflake brad (craft store); Copic markers

Valentine's Cupcakes

This card is for the Verve Looking For Love Challenge, Day 4 and is another sketch challenge--my favorite kind!

My base card is Perfect Plum and is layered, following the sketch, with Barely Banana and Shimmer Foil Paper DP from Heidi Grace: Valentine's|Cupcakes. A 3/8" pink grosgrain ribbon is under the focal image which was stamped with a stamp from Verve's Cupcake Affair in Basic Black. It was colored with SU! markers in Barely Banana, Pretty In Pink, Pink Passion, and Perfect Plum. The top was colored using a Pirouette Pink reinker and a blender pen. The top was then covered with Crystal Effects and the rest hightlighted with matching Sakura glitter pens. It was then cut/embossed with Labels Two Nestabilities die, sponged with Perfect Plum, and layered on Pirouette Pink. Three matching glitter brads accent this element and it's up on 3M foam squares. The heart was punched with 3 different punches,accented with a glitter pen, and attached with foam squares.

Thanks for dropping in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Cupcake Affair (Verve)
Paper: Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink, Whisper White (SU!); Shimmer Foil Paper DP Valentine's|Cupcakes (Heidi Grace)
Ink: Basic Black, Barely Banana, Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink and Certainly Celery (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares, Sakura glitter pens, heart punches


This card is for this week's OCC challenge, which is a sketch challenge. I'm trying to get my Valentine's cards done so here's another one I can mark off my list.

My base card is Perfect Plum with a scalloped layer of Pretty In Pink and then a layer of Shimmer Foil Paper DP from Heidi Grace: Valentine's|Cupcakes. The focal image is stamped in Basic Black on Whisper White with a stamp from a Hero Arts set call So Sweet. It's colored with Barely Banana, Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink and a tiny bit of Certainly Celery SU! markers. Then I went over every color with a matching Sakura glitter pen and sponged it heavily with Barely Banana. It's layered on Pretty In Pink and Perfect Plum and is up on 3M foam squares. The heart was punched with 3 sizes of punches, layered, and is up on 3M foam squares. A Martha Stewart rhinestone heart and craft store round rhinestones add a little bling.

Thanks for taking a look!

~Recipe~
Stamps: So Sweet (Hero Arts)
Paper: Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink, Whisper White (SU!); Shimmer Foil Paper DP Valentine's|Cupcakes (Heidi Grace)
Ink: Basic Black, Barely Banana, Perfect Plum, Pretty In Pink and Certainly Celery (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares, rhinestones (craft store); heart rhinestone (Martha Stewart); Sakura glitter pens; heart punches

Love is...

Gosh, I love this sentiment and this card! Sorry, I got carried away with myself ;-)

OK, this card is a quadruple-header!! It's for: Valentine's Day, Our Creative Corner Challenge (use something clear, which will become clear shortly), the current Sketch For You To Try, and the Holiday Challenge Extravaganza #11--to use paper tole on a card.

My card base is Basic Black, with a layer of silver metallic card stock and then a layer of Real Red DSP from a 6 x 6 hostess gift pad. The focal image is the clear challenge part. The sentiment is a clear sticker by Cloud 9 Designs from a set called, appropriately enough, "Love". It was adhered to Whisper White card stock and matted with Real Red, silver, and Basic Black. Some small black faceted jewels accent the upper right corner and it's popped up on 3M foam squares. Two strips of black grosgrain ribbon with white stitching follow the sketch design. The accent heart, from the Always set (I really love this heart!) was stamped twice--once on Whisper White with Versamark and heat embossed with silver embossing powder and cut out around the center heart. Next, it was stamped on Real Red with Basic Black and cut out around the outer dotted heart. The silver layer was popped up on 3M foam squares for the paper tole part, and the whole thing was attached on 3M foam squares, as well. Some larger black faceted jewels accent the lower right corner for balance. The Valentine's Day part should be obvious ;-)

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Always (SU!)
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Real Red DSP, Basic Black (SU!), silver metallic card stock (Office Max)
Ink: Versamark, Basic Black
Accessories: silver embossing powder, heat gun, black faceted jewels (small ones by Hero Arts, large from craft store), ribbon (craft store), clear sticker (Cloud 9 Designs), 3M foam squares

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

I love Christmas (surprised?)! And I love making Christmas cards, so here's another one. I thought this simple tree stamp went well with Basic's Grey's Figgy paper collection. This card is for Our Creative Corner's challenge this week, which is a sketch challenge. I love sketch challenges because I'm sketch challenged, LOL! And this is a great sketch!! Check out what the DT did with this sketch--awesome samples!

My base card is Whisper White, with a layer of Always Artichoke and then a layer of DP. The two corner elements are another pattern from the collection on Bravo Burgundy card stock. The focal image and the sentiment from Verve's Ornamental Christmas set were stamped on Whisper White with Always Artichoke and Bravo Burgundy craft ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I used my ticket corner punch and sponged the edges with Always Artichoke. It's layered on Bravo Burgundy and then Always Artichoke and I added burgundy brads to the corners. A burgundy ribbon was tied around this and then it was attached with dimensionals. It got rave reviews at the office this morning and I hope you like it. Thanks for taking a look!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Simple Christmas Tree (seriously, that's it's name!--Stampabilities), Cupcake Affair (Verve)
Paper: Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy (SU!), Figgy DP (Basic Grey)
Ink: Bravo Burgundy and Always Artichoke craft ink (SU!)
Accessories: ribbon and brads (craft store), heat gun, clear embossing powder, sponge, dimensionals