A triple hitter!

It's been a while since I've been able to get some challenges done, but I finally got the time! This card is for Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday #27 (use hardware), Mercy's Sketch Challenge #33 (the layout), and The Stampin' B's Challenge #18 (make a masculine card). I love it when that happens, LOL!

OK, the first thing was to decide on a masculine theme. I'd never used this To the Nines Specialty paper but I got it expressly for masculine cards, so that took care of the paper. I love Flourishes' DIY Topiary set--it can go masculine or feminine--so that took care of the focal image. I stamped it on Sahara Sand--three times for the container and twice for the tree, colored with SU! markers, and layered it up on 3M foam squares

On to the sketch. Since I couldn't use a flower for that large embellishment, I used a large brown button from PTI's Dark Chocolate Vintage Button collection and added a dull green one for the center from my stash, then tied them on with some natural hemp.

For the hardware, some antique copper brads finished it off. I'm liking it. I need a couple masculine birthday cards this month so here's one of them all done!

I'm so glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: DIY Topiary (Flourishes)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke, To the Nines Specialty Paper (SU!)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: 3M foam squares, brads, hemp (craft store); Vintage buttons; SU! markers; button from stash

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

Make Each Day a Masterpiece

It's raining here today--did most of yesterday, too. Good for the garden, but not so good for *working* in the garden. So, what do you do when you *have to* stay inside? Stamp, right? Only this card has no stamping on it. It's for the Stampin' B's Challenge #6--to use rub-ons. Since I have no rub-ons except some tiny little sentiments I decided to use a sticker instead and make it the focus of the card. I kinda like it--I'd like to know what you think.

My base card is Whisper White with layers of Chocolate Chip and DSP from the Good Morning Sunshine collection by SU! I'm using Jen del Muro's SFYTT from yesterday, so next up was a piece of Kiwi Kiss striped ribbon. The focal image is a sticker from Heidi Grace and is on Whisper White, matted with Kiwi Kiss and Chocolate Chip, all cut/embossed with Nestabilities dies. The sticker layer and the Kiwi Kiss layer are up on 3M foam squares and then the whole thing is up on more. There was a little white space (can't have that, now, can we?) so I added some Fresh Cut Grass Dew Drops. Following the sketch, I added brown and green buttons to each side of the focal image. Easy and pretty cute, don't you think?

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: none
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Good Morning Sunshine DSP (SU!)
Ink: none
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, Perle cotton (craft store); ribbon (SU!); sticker (Heidi Grace); buttons (personal stash); Dew Drops

Spotlighting Beaded Fresh Cuts

Another double header today. This card is for Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday Challenge #14--to use beads and Stampin' B's Challenge #4 to use the spotlighting technique. I'd used beads lots of times but this is the first time I'd tried spotlighting--and I love how it turned out!

My base card is Very Vanilla with layers of Basic Gray, Tangerine Tango, and DP from Cosmo Cricket's Everafter collection. I then tied a dark gray grosgrain ribbon around in a knot and stuck the stick pin through the knot. The focal image is SU!'s Fresh Cuts stamped with Basic Black on Whisper White, on which I used Distress Ink in Antique Linen to matched the distressing on the DP. I stitched around the base card layers and the focal image layers and popped the focal image up on 3M foam squares. The "spot lit" piece was stamped in the same way, but I colored the flower with my blender pen and Tangerine Tango reinker, cut/ embossed all three layers, and popped it up on foam squares, too. OK, I'm liking this card a lot--how about you?

Thanks for dropping in today! Don't forget to come back tomorrow--it's MFT Idol upload day. I'm happy with my project, so drop in and tell me if you like it!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Fresh Cuts (SU!)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Tangerine Tango (SU!); Everafter (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/circle Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, ribbon, stickpin hardware and beads (craft store); sewing machine

Mojo Medallion

I didn't get a chance to make a card last night, but here's one that I haven't shared here yet. It was for Stampin' B's Challenge #3--monochromatic and Mojo Monday #85. My base card is Whisper White with a layer of So Saffron and DP from Cosmo Cricket's Everafter collection. The other elements are from the same collection, following the sketch. The focal image is the Medallion Plain Jane from Verve and was stamped on Whisper White with So Saffron. I think everything else is self-explanatory, but as always, if you have a question, ask! I have an idea for my MFT project this week so I'd better get on it!

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Plain Jane Medallion (Verve)
Paper: Whisper White, So Saffron (SU!); Everyafter (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink: So Saffron (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, flat back pearls (craft store); So Saffron ribbon (2009 Sale-a-bra-tion ribbon bundle); border punch (Martha Stewart)

Spread your wings and FLY!

[Please don't forget to vote for your favorite Idol contestant (hopefully me!) until 10pm EDT tonight, April 29th! You'll find the poll here. Thanks!]

I'm trying to get caught up on some challenges that I enjoy doing before we get the next MFT Idol challenge, so here's another card today. This one is for Viva la Verve With a Twist #5 for April. The twist this time is to include Spring on the card. I think butterflies are pretty Spring-like so that's what I went with. It's also for the Stampin' B's Challenge #3 which is an inspiration challenge. I don't have any crane stamps so I went with the colors for inspiration and the whole flying thing with the butterfly :)

My base card is 5 1/4" square Whisper White with partial layers of Old Olive, Taken With Teal, and DP from the K & Co. K-ology 6 x 6 Addison paper pad. I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the Old Olive layer and then tied a green grosgrain ribbon around all of that. Both images on the focal element are from Verve's Beautiful Kindness set, stamped in Old Olive and Taken With Teal. The butterfly was stamped twice and one cut out and popped up on a 3M foam square. The Whisper White layer was cut/embossed with a circle Nestabilities die, sponged lightly with Taken With Teal and layered on Taken With Teal and Old Olive. Some turquoise Hero Arts jewels finish off the sketch and add a little bling to the butterfly's body.

Thanks for dropping by!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Beautiful Kindness (Verve)
Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, Taken With Teal (SU!); K & Co. K-ology 6 x 6 Addison paper pad
Ink: Old Olive, Taken With Teal (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Circle Nestabilities; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); border punch (Martha Stewart); jewels (Hero Arts)

Happy birthday, Cupcake

How's everyone today? We just had two glorious days where I worked in the yard but it's supposed to rain later on today. That's actually a good thing because I need to stay inside today to work on this week's MFT Idol project. But I wanted to do Taylor's Expressions challenge--haven't done one for a while so I thought I'd do the latest one, #64. This card also qualifies for the Stampin' B's challenge this week: to use diecuts.

My base card is Very Vanilla with layers of Brocade Blue, Barely Banana, and DP from a book of 8 x 8 papers/diecuts/stickers called Eliza from Making Memories. The next element is more Brocade Blue and a different pattern of DP. The focal image is from Crazy For Cupcakes by SU! stamped on Gina K. Pure Luxury 80 lb paper with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored with Copic markers (see below). I added some Red Star Sakura glitter pen to the cherries to bring them out a big. It was cut/embossed with a Large Label Nestabilities die and layered on Barely Banana and Brocade Blue, also cut/embossed with a die and popped up on 3M foam squares. The sentiment is from the same set and was stamped on Very Vanilla with Memento Rich Cocoa ink, punched out with a 1 3/8" punch, and layered on Brocade Blue which was cut/embossed with a circle Nestabilities die. Two strips of coral ribbon are held on with a Build-a-brad using DP, accented with three blue Dew Drops, and is also up on foam squares. How do you like it?

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Crazy For Cupcakes (SU!)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue, Barely Banana (SU!); Eliza DP (Making Memories); Pure Luxury 80 lb (Gina K.)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilties dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers; Dew Drops

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