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

Hot pink glitz!

Remember the Red Hat set I did for the Puttin' On the Glitz release blog hop? Didn't think so, LOL, so here it is. A friend of mine saw it and wanted one "exactly like it" only in different colors ;-) Seems her sister-in-law is sorta glitzy and she wanted one to give to her for her birthday. So, we came up with black/white/hot pink for the color scheme and I love how it turned out! She did too :)

It's pretty much exactly like the Red Hat version, just different paper, etc., so you can get all the deets over there if you're interested.

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Puttin' On the Glitz (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Pink Passion (SU!); Perfect Paper Panels; Black Tie (Making Memories)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Spellbinders Flourish die; 3M foam squares, ribbon, jewels, jewel brads (craft store); Copic markers; Prima flowers; leaf punch (Martha Stewart); 1 3/8" circle punch (E K Success)

Stamp Simply #99--Friend

Here we are at Stamp Simply Challenge #99!!! WOW!!! Sharon's got a sweet challenge for us today--friends. Here's what she says:

August 7 - ssnotime99 - That's What Friends Are For -- Today's challenge is simple -- make a card for a friend, for ANY occasion, just make sure the word *friend* appears somewhere on the card front. There are so many fun friend sentiments out there -- these will be fun cards to check out! If you don't happen to have any friend sentiments, you could even hand write friend on a little tag to hang -- whatever works -- let's just get very *friendly* today --LOL!!! Have fun with this!

I'm straying out of my comfort zone again--to CAS. Whoa!!! You know I love me some layers but I held myself back today to only two, LOL!

My base card is Basic Black and the focal image layer is Whisper White. I'd been wanting to use this image from Boho Blossoms for a while and just never got around to it. MFT My Favorite Challenge for this week is to use only black and white, so I'm nailing that with this card, too :) I stamped the focal image with Versamark and heat embossed with black embossing powder, stamped the sentiment in Memento Tuxedo Black ink, tied a gingham ribbon on, added some black jewels and called it done! Stamped simply, for sure! Oh, and I did a little scoring with my ScorPal--it's hard to see, but it's there.

So, now it's your turn. 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 ssnotime99 if you upload to a public forum. Check out Sharon's fabulous sample and also the great designs from the Stamp Simply team, with a very warm welcome to our August Guest Designer:

Pat Adam - August Guest Designer

Julie Koerber

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

A J Otto

Tammy Hershberger

Deb Saarenen

Jenny Gropp

AND, if all that gorgeousness is not enough, I need to tell you that next week's Stamp Simply challenge is going to be very special. It's #100 and we're celebrating with a birthday party! Be sure to check back next week to see what we have in store for you!

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Boho Blossoms (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White (SU!)
Ink: Versamark, Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: ribbon, jewels (craft store); black embossing powder; heat gun; Embossing Buddy (SU!); ScorPal

My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge--#93

I can't believe it's Thursday already! Where is this week going? One week ago I was on the road heading to Orlando and CHA! This week has just whizzed by!

OK, enough of that, LOL. Because it's Thursday, we have new challenges for you over at the My Favorite Things forum on Splitcoast. Today I have a card using this week's sketch--#93.

I'm using an image from the last release, Feelin' Fruity. I love these little cherries :) I stamped it on Perfect Paper Panels with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Copic markers, and cut the image out and popped it up on 3M foam squares. The base card is Whisper White with layers of Old Olive, Real Red, and DSP from the Tart and Tangy collection (retired). The next element uses three different Nestabilities dies and is also up on foam squares. Ribbon is from the Polka Dot collection at MFT, and the little red center button is from the summer collection. The green button is from PTI. The sentiment was cut/embossed with a Spellbinders tag die.

Hope you'll come on over to the My Favorite Thing's Member Company Forum and check out the challenges and play along. As always, there are prizes to be won :)

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Feelin' Fruity (MFT)
Paper: Whisper White; Old Olive, Real Red, Tart and Tangy DSP (SU!); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Spellbinders dies; 3M foam squares, Perle cotton (craft store); ribbon, red button (MFT); green button (PTI); Copic markers

Color Throwdown #54

Is time flying or what! It's the 5th of August already! Where has the summer gone! I swear, Christmas will be here before we know it!! Ack!!!

OK, I'm over that for now, LOL. On to this week's Color Throwdown Challenge! This is another sponsor week and the lovely LeAnne has chosen our colors: Really Rust, Blush Blossom, and Basic Gray and an orange of your choice. Our sponsor this week is Whimsy Stamps. You can find out all about them on the Throwdown blog.

I'm using this sassy little skunk for my card. It's colored with Copic markers and layered on Blush Blossom and Basic Gray card stock. The patterned paper I'm using is Ambrosia by Basic Grey. Some stitching and distressing give it a little character, I think, and some ribbon, Prima flowers, and a button embellishment are fairly subtle, letting the focal image be the star of the show.

Now, 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 CTD54 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 stamps, and we'll be picking a featured stamper too!!!

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
Sylvia Nelson /August Guest Designer--Sylvia's Stamp Corner

I'm so glad you stopped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Skunk (Whimsy Stamps)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, Blush Blossom, Really Rust (SU!); Ambrosia 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares, Perle cotton; ribbon x 2 (craft store); Copic markers; sewing machine; button (stash); Prima flowers