Enjoy Life

This is the card I made as a sample for SCS Color Combinations #258: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, and Soft Suede. When I first got the colors I had no idea what to do. But since the twist was to use a critter of some kind, that got me thinking. These colors said "elegance" to me, so either a bird or a butterfly was my thinking. I love the shape of this Inkadinkado butterfly so I pulled him out and stared at him. Plum, huh? OK, now to go through patterned paper to see what I had that would work. I found this MME paper that I'd gotten at Michaels a while back just 'cause it was purty :) Glad I did.

First of all, I stamped the butterfly on vellum with Versamark and then Soft Suede inks, and heat embossed with clear fine detail embossing powder. Then I took my neglected SU! marker in Perfect Plum, colored all the un-embossed areas, and then wiped it off with a paper towel. Then I cut it out and added flat back pearls for the body.

I'm using Sweet Sunday Sketch #56 and two stamps from PTI's Life set for the sentiment. More pearls and silk ribbon from Sharon Johnson's store was all it needed to finish it off..

Thanks for stopping by today--I hope you'll get a chance to play in the color challenge this week! Tomorrow I'll be back with a new Stamp Simply challenge. It's a cutie ;)

~Supplies~
Stamps: butterfly (Inkadinkado); Life (PTI)
Paper: Soft Suede, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum (SU!); Carefree Graceful/Pattern Petite, Carefree Adorable/Adoring Print (MME)
Ink: Versamark; Soft Suede (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug (Provocraft); Classic Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinder); border/corner punch (Martha Stewart); 3M foam squares, flat back pearls (craft store); fine detail clear embossing powder (Judikins); heat gun; SU! markers; ribbon (May Arts)

Time Began In a Garden--CC228

Can you believe it?! SCS challenges two days in a row!! Yippee!!! Today I have the latest color combination--228--to show you.

I would never have put these colors together but they work and I love 'em: Night Of Navy, Really Rust, and Pink Pirouette! Genius!!
My image is a PSX stamp, the name of which I'm assuming is Time Began In a Garden! It's stamped on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80lb paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers. I love the way this colored up! It's another fairly large image so I went with a 5 1/4" square base. The patterned paper I'm using is from the new June Bug 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey and my card stock is all of the challenge colors. My layout is pretty simple. The middle element has punched borders and I added a little paper piercing to give it a little interest. Little ribbon tabs and buttons add a little somethin' more.

I'm so glad you dropped by today!!!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Time Began In a Garden? (PSX)
Paper: Whisper White, Night Of Navy, Really Rust, Pink Pirouette (SU!); June Bug 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey); Pure Luxury 80lb (Gina K.)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: ribbon, DMC floss (craft store); Copic markers; pink buttons (PTI); navy buttons (stash); border punch (Martha Stewart)

This card comes with a warning label...

...you need to put on your shades! It's BRIGHT! Do it now, I'll wait ;-)

I'm covering three challenges with this card: SCS Color Combinations #219 (Only Orange, Brilliant Blue, and Purely Pomegranate), Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #15 (to make a square card), and the Stampin' B's Challenge #6 (A Specific Supplies/Tool Challenge).

My base card is Whisper White folded to 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" with layers of Brilliant Blue, Only Orange, Purely Pomegranate and DP from a 5" x 7" paper pad called Destination Paradise by My Mind's Eye. The DP layer was cut in quarters and has an antique brass small brad in each corner. The next element is Brilliant Blue and Purely Pomegranate both punched with a Martha Stewart border punch. The sentiment is from one of Flourishes' newest releases called Nasturtiums and was stamped on Whisper White with Memento Tuxedo Black and cut/embossed with a circle Nestabilities die, as were the two mats. Then I added some big Prima flowers with a big brad I made with my new Brad Maker Kit by Chatterbox. Just like Build a brads but bigger and fancier. I'm using the largest size on this card. Some punched out leaves and that's it--it's done. Bright, but it's growing on me.

I'm glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Nasturtiums (Flourishes)
Paper: Whisper White, Brilliant Blue, Only Orange, and Purely Pomegranate (SU!); Destination Paradise (My Mind's Eye)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, small brads (craft store); large brad (Chatterbox); border punch, leaf punch (Martha Stewart); Prima flowers

Happy Birthday Irises

The sun is shining today so I thought I'd have a sunny card for you! And this one is *bright* and sunny! I'm using the colors from SCS Color Combinations #218, the layout is SCS Sketch Challenge #228, and it's a birthday card for Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday Challenge #15. Just under the wire for all of them, but especially the color and birthday challenges, LOL!

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Kiwi Kiss and DSP from Good Morning Sunshine DSP with orange gingham ribbon tied 'round. The next element is Summer Sun with more DSP from the same collection, and the next is Only Orange with a layer of Whisper White on which I stamped the Weathered Wood backgrounder from Cornish Heritage Farms. All three of these elements were stitched around with my sewing machine. The focal image is a PSX stamp--I'm having fun collecting these stamps. I just love them!!! It was stamped on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80lb paper with Memento Rich Cocoa and colored with Copic markers (see below). The it was matted with Kiwi Kiss and is popped up on 3M foam squares. The sentiment is from Flourishes' Sweet Violets set and is stamped in the same way, punched out with my oval punch, layered on a Summer Sun oval, and it's also up on foam squares.

I'm glad you dropped by today! Be sure to come back tomorrow--I have a little surprise.

~Recipe~
Stamps: Iris (PSX); Sweet Violets (Flourishes); Weather Wood backgrounder (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Paper: Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Summer Sun, Only Orange, Good Morning Sunshine DSP (SU!); Pure Luxury 80lb (Gina K.)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); oval punch (SU!); Copic markers; sewing machine

Thank you flowers

I've been hard at work on my MFT Idol project for this week but I needed a break so I decided to do a couple challenges in one. This card is for SCS Color Combinations #217: Garden Green, Cameo Coral, and Ballet Blue. It's also for SCS Sketch Challenge #227.

My base card is Very Vanilla with layers of Garden Green, Ballet Blue, and Cameo Coral. I stamped the Cameo Coral layer with a Stampin' Wheel in Cameo Coral to give it a little interest. Instead of a paper element next, I used ribbon. The focal image was stamped with European watercolor paper from Flourishes and PTI's Life set, using the misting technique. I layered it up, added some flat back pearls, and stamped the sentiment from PTI's Mother set.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Life, Mother )PTI)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Ballet Blue, Cameo Coral (SU!); European water color paper (Flourishes)
Ink: Garden Green, Cameo Coral, Ballet Blue (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares, flat back pearls, ribbon (craft store); border punch (Martha Stewart); Stampin' Wheel, Word Window, small oval and oval punches (SU!)

Celebrate Life

This card is a double hitter: SCS Color Combinations #215: Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette, and Rose Red and Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday #12--to use acetate. Love the color combination! I've had some acetate card stock for a while but never got up the nerve to use it. This challenge made me do it. I'm happy with how it turned out, but I'm not sure I'm an acetate card kinda girl, LOL. I pulled out an old SCS Sketch for this card.

My base card is, of course, acetate card stock. The next element is Basic Gray and Urban Prairie DP from Basic Grey. The focal element and the sentiement element are the same, as far as cardstock is concerned: images stamped on Whisper White and matted with Basic Gray and Rose Red. All images are from PTI's Life set and were colored with SU! markers and ink pad. I added a few pink jewels to accent the sentiment element and that was that!

Thanks for dopping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Life (PTI)
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Ruby Red (SU!); Urban Prairie DP (Basic Grey)
Ink: Rose Red and Basic Gray (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares (craft store); pink jewels (The Paper Studio)

Bloomin' Beautiful

I've hit this one out of the ballpark!! Four challenges in one, LOL!! I figured I'd better get these challenges taken care of NOW since we're getting our new MFT Idol theme some time today.

This card is for SCS Color Combinations #214 (Pink Pirouette, Bordering Blue, and So Saffron), Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge #11 (to use paper piercing), TECC # 63 (sketch), and the very first Stampin B's challenge (to use a bee on your project). Check it out! Got 'em all covered here!

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Bordering Blue, Pink Pirouette, and DSP from the Bella Birds collection. The next element is more Bordering Blue and more DSP with a Pink Pirouette wannabe satin ribbon and bow. The focal image was stamped on Flourishes watercolor paper with Versafine Vintage Sepia and a stamp from Bloomin' Beautiful. It was colored with reinkers and a brush, cut/embossed with a square Nestabilities die, paper pierced, and matted on Pink Pirouette and Bordering Blue before being popped up on 3M foam squares. The bee was colored the same way, with the addition of some shimmer on the wings from a Sakura glitter pen, cut out, and popped up on foam squares. Ain't it sweet?!

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Bloomin' Beautiful (SU!)
Paper: water color paper (Flourishes); Whisper White, Pirouette Pink, Bordering Blue, Bella Birds DSP (SUI!)
Ink: Versafine Vintage Sepia
Accessories: Cuttlebug/square Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); reinkers (SU!); Sakura glitter pen in Clear Star

Still Life--Pears

When I first saw the colors for SCS Color Combinations #213, I wasn't at all sure about them. But I love how my card turned out!!! The colors for this week are Bashful Blue, So Saffron, and Close to Cocoa. So, I started looking through my stamps and spied this Karen Lockhart stamp that would be perfect. Saffron pears? Why not?

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Close to Cocoa and DSP from Frosty Day DSP, both of which had their corners punched with my Ticket Corner punch. The next element is Whisper White, Bashful Blue, and DSP from the hostess Prints Pack, all of which had their corners punched. I ran a blue satin ribbon around and tied on saffron colored buttons from the Chloe's Closet collection by Making Memories with light blue Perle cotton. The focal image was stamped on Pure Luxury paper by Gina K. with Memento Rich Cocoa and colored with Copic Markers (see below). It was then cut/embossed with my Deckle Edge Nestabilities die, as were the Bashful Blue and Close To Cocoa mats. It was then popped up on 3M foam squares. No sentiment for this one so I can go lots of different ways with it. What do you think? Are you liking it as much as I do?

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Pears (Lockhart)
Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Close To Cocoa, Frosty Day DSP, Prints Pack DSP (SU!); Pure Luxury 80 lb. (Gina K.)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Deckle Edge Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, Perle cotton (craft store); Chloe's Closet buttons (Making Memories); Copic markers; Ticket Corner punch (SU!)

Wishing you...comfort

This card is for two challenges: Mojo Monday #80 and SCS Color Combinations #212: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, and Pink Pirouette. Julee's sketches are always great and this one is no exception. And I love the color combination this week!

My card base is Chocolate Chip with layers of Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette. The first element is all three colors with a layer of DSP from the Bella Rosa collection. The second element is the same, with different DSP and a little 3/8" brown grosgrain ribbon tied around it. The focal image uses a stamp from Verve's new Plain Jane called Comfort, with Chocolate Chip ink on Whisper White and was layered on Riding Hood Red and Chocolate Chip and is up on 3M foam squares. The little flower uses a stamp from Verve's Abundant Blessings set, was stamped on Pink Pirouette with Chocolate Chip ink, and is also up on foam squares. Three red Dew Drops accent the left upper corner and it's done!

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Comfort, Abundant Blessings (Verve)
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette and Bella Rosa DSP (SU!)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Dew Drops

Urban Roses

Good morning!! It's been raining off and on here for several days and it looks like it's going to continue. I need to get out there and prune my roses, but I don't think that's going to happen this weekend. Since I can't prune the real ones, here's a rose cupcake to tide us over. This card is for two challenges: SCS Sketch Challenge #221 and SCS Color Challenge #211: Pretty In Pink, Kiwi Kiss, and Baja Breeze.

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze on which I did some paper piercing. The next element is Kiwi Kiss with DP from the Urban Prairie 6 x 6 pad from Basic Grey. The next element is Kiwi Kiss with Pretty In Pink with more paper piercing and a pink satin bow was tied around at this point. The focal image uses a Karen Lockhart stamp which was stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Gina K Pure Luxury 80 lb paper, colored with Copic markers (see below) and had a little paper piercing done in the corners. It was layered on all three of the challenge colors and is popped up on 3M foams squares. I think it's kinda sweet and definitely cheers up a gloomy day.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Rosebud Cupcake (Lockhart)
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty In Pink, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Urban Prairie 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); paper piercer/mat/template (SU!); Copic markers

Happy Easter, Featured Stamper!

This card is for two challenges on SCS: Featured Stamper #110, and Color Combinations #210. Stacy (Twinshappy on SCS), is the Featured Stamper this week. Check out her gallery for some awesome eye candy. I chose this card of hers to CASE--I love what she's doing with the new Flourishes releases! I changed the colors, the image, and embellishments--and kept the layout. The colors for this week's challenge are: Summer Sun, Riding Hood Red, and Kraft. Well. Kraft goes with anything and it's a good thing. When I first saw these colors together I was doubtful, to say the least. But I like what I ended up with. I would never have put them together but this made me think outside of my box.

My base card is Kraft with layers of Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun, and Whisper White with a punched border. (Huh. No DP ;-)) A red and tan gingham ribbon is tied around that in a bow. The focal image uses a stamp from Flourishes' Signs of Spring set, was stamped three times on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb. paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, and is colored with Copic markers (see below for colors). The whole flower head was cut out and is up on 3M foam squares and the trumpet is yet another layer on foam squares. The edges were sponged with Distress Ink in Vintage Photograph and matted with Summer Sun and Kraft card stock. Two red brads accent the left upper corner and the whole thing is up on foam squares. The sentiment is from the same set and was stamped/sponged in the same manner as the focal image. It was punched out with an oval punch, layered on Summer Sun and Kraft, accented with another red brad, and is up on foam squares.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Signs of Spring (Flourishes)
Paper: Kraft, Riding Hood Red, Summer Sun, and Whisper White (SU!); Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb. paper
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Vintage Photograph Distress Ink
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon, brads (craft store); oval and large oval punches (SU!); Martha Stewart border punch; Copic markers

Good Luck

This card is for SCS Color Combinations #209. Basic Black, Always Artichoke, and Rose Red. LOVE these colors together!! LOVE 'em!!! I'm "loosely" using this week's SFYTT for my layout.

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Basic Black and Always Artichoke, to which I added some paper piercing. The next element is Basic Black with a layer of Rose Red, also with paper piercing. The focal image uses a Karen Lockhart stamp called Tulips. It was stamped twice on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb. paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers (see below for colors used). I then cut out one image and popped it up on the second with 3M foam squares. It was then matted with Rose Red, Always Artichoke, and Basic Black and is also up on foam squares. I finished it off with a black gingham ribbon tied around in a knot with two buttons tied on with black Perle cotton. The sentiment is from PTI's Mixed Messages (this is such a GREAT set of tiny sentiments--love it!) and was stamped on the same paper with the same ink. It was cut/embossed with a Spellbinders tag punch and tied on under the buttons. I'm really liking this card. Whatcha think?

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Tulips (Karen Lockhart), Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper: Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb.; Whisper White, Basic Black, Always Artichoke, Rose Red (SU!)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Spellbinder tag die; 3M foam squares, ribbon, Pearle cotton (craft store); Copic markers; buttons (my stash)

Embrace Happiness

What a difference a week makes! Last Sunday it was cold and snowing and today it's sunny and warm--80F today! Hope everyone is having wonderful weather today.

This card is for two challenges: SCS Sketch Challenge #218 and SCS Color Challenge #208. The colors this week are: Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, and Pink Passion.

My base card is Chocolate Chip with a layer of DP from the Sultry 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey. The next element is more of the same, as are the next elements, with different DP. The focal image is from the Saleabration set called Botanical Blooms and was stamped on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb. paper with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored with Copic markers (see below for colors used). It was cut out and mounted on Whisper White with 3M foam squares and Crystal Effects and matted with Pink Passion and Chocolate Chip, then the whole thing was mounted on foam squares. The sentiment was stamped with Memento Rich Cocoa on Whisper White with a stamp from PTI's Mixed Messages set, then punched out with a 1" circle punch. Then it was matted with Kiwi Kiss punched out with the Designer Label punch. Some "passionately pink" jewels accent the sentiment element, which is up on foam squares, and Dew Drops from the Fresh Cut Grass collection add balance in the upper right corner. This layout was a great opportunity to use this DP, I think.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Botanical Blooms (SU!); Mixed Messages (PTI)
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb. paper; Sultry 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: 3M foam squares, jewels (craft store); Dew Drops (Robin's Nest); 1" circle punch, Designer Label punch (SU!); Copic markers

Inspired Summer Kiwi Pies

This card is for SCS Color Combinations #207: Summer Sky, Kiwi Kiss, and Pumpkin Pie. I like 'em! My first thought was to use Inspired By Nature and it worked out pretty well.

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, and Summer Sun paper from the new Good Morning Sunshine DSP collection. My focal image was stamped on Whisper White with color applied to the Echinecea stamp with SU! markers in Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie and a brush for the Kiwi Kiss directly from a reinker. The grass background was stamped with Kiwi Kiss using an ink pad. It and the Kiwi Kiss mat were cut/embossed with the largest Petite Oval dies and mounted on 3M foam squares. The sentiment was stamped on Whisper White with Pumpkin Pie and punched out with the Large Oval punch, as was the Kiwi Kiss layer, and is also up on foam squares. The butterfly was made using a Martha Stewart Punch and attached with a rolled up glue dot to give it some dimension. Tiny apricot flat-backed pearls embellish his body. A few Dew Drops and it's done!

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Inspired By Nature (SU!)
Paper: Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, and Good Morning Sunshine DSP (SU!)
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares (craft store); Large Oval Punch (SU!), Dew Drops; flat back pearls (Ellen Hutson); butterfly punch (Martha Stewart)

Congratulations!

Another multiple challenge card! Yippee!! It's for SCS Color Combinations #206 (Rose Red, More Mustard, and Kiwi Kiss), Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #31, and SCS Ways To Use It #206--use stripes.

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Rose Red, More Mustard, and Kiwi Kiss. Following the sketch, I added two patterns from Basic Grey's Mellow 6 x 6 pad and a Kiwi Kiss striped ribbon. The focal image from Playful Petals (new from SU!) was stamped on Solar White card stock from PTI with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers (see below for colors used) and is matted with the challenge colors. Flat-backed gold beads accent the focal image and all four corners of the base card. The sentiment is from MFT Sassy Sayings set and was stamped on More Mustard with Basic Black, matted with Kiwi Kiss and attached to the back of the focal element. The whole thing is up on 3M foam squares.

Thanks for dropping by! Hope to see you back soon!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Playful Petals (SU!); Sassy Sentiments (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red, More Mustard, and Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Mellow 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey); Solar White (PTI)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Basic Black (SU!)
Accessories: 3M foam squares, flat-backed gold beads (craft store); ribbon (SU!); Copic markers