Be Still

Hello!  For today's creation, I combined this weeks sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and the color challenge at the Color Throwdown.  Here's a look at the sketch and the colors:

I used my new stamp and die from Papertrey Ink on the sentiment.  I wanted to stamp the stripes in the background.  After some looking, I finally found this stamp in a Christmas set from Close to My Heart.  I cut the "God" part of the verse out with the matching die.  I cut it with both black and gold paper.  I layered the black beneath the gold to give it a shadow.  It made the gold stand out better.  For the rest of the sentiment, I opted to stamp it with Versamark and heat emboss it with black embossing powder.  

I'm also going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog.  This week, it's anything goes.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Jingle Borders - Close to My Heart, Inspired: God - Papertrey Ink

Inks:  Buttercup, Pear - Close to My Heart, Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink, Versamark

Die - Papertrey Ink

Gold Metallic Paper - Creative Memories

Paper Players Graduation Card

Hello!  I combined two challenges for the inspiration for today's card.  I like this sketch from The Paper Players.  This week at Just Us Girls it was a photo challenge.  I also used Sparkly Dreams again (can you tell I'm loving this stamp set?).  Here are the challenges:

I opted to use two sentiments from the stamp set and the butterfly to create a graduation card.  

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Sparkly Dreams - Verve Stamps
Ink:  Archival Black - Close to My Heart
Sweet Sorbet DSP - Stampin' Up!
Cardstock:  Sorbet - Close to My Heart, Limeade Ice - Papertrey Ink
Ribbon - Maya Road

Be A Good One MOJO490

Hello!  I was super excited to open my mail yesterday, my new stamp set from Verve Stamps was in.  It's called Sparkly Dreams and I know I'm going to use it a lot.  I love the quotes and other sentiments that it has.  Verve packages their stamps so beautifully, it makes me so happy to open the shipping envelope to see the pretty blue tissue paper wrapped around my new stamps.  This time there was a little extra surprise tucked in with the stamp set - this great patterned paper, a card base, and a generous length of black seam binding.  The colors were perfect for using with my new stamps.  What more could I do then to combine them with this weeks Mojo Monday?

Here is the card that I made with my new stamp set and the extra surprise paper and ribbon:

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Sparkly Dreams - Verve

Ink:  Tuxedo Black - Memento

Simple Christmas Wishes

Hi there.  I was so excited to combine 2 challenges for today's card.  I'll start with the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!, it was perfect for showcasing a textured paper as the base.  I chose to use a new embossing folder that I hadn't even taken out of the package called Cable Knit.  I lightly misted the cardstock with water before I ran it through my Big Shot, the paper is deeply embossed with a sweater pattern with no cracking of the cardstock.  

Since I used the Cable Knit dynamic folder, I decided to combine the sketch with this weeks Merry Monday Christmas Challenge to use red, green, and white.  I cut the New England Ivy with my new die set from Papertrey Ink, I love the stitched border it adds.  I stamped the sentiment with Versamark and heat embossed it with Real Red Glitter Embossing Powder for some color and sparkle.  

I had a hard time capturing the sentiment, so here is a close up:

On a different note, I'm surprised how much of a difference cameras made in these photos.  I have an older point and shoot Canon that I keep in my craft desk for taking pictures for my blog.  I was having a hard time with it focusing on the sentiment, so I switched the memory card to my new camera that my husband got me for Christmas.  What a huge difference in photo quality.  I'm going to retire the Canon and let the girls use it when they go to church camp this summer.  

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Cozy Christmas - Stampin' Up!

Ink:  Versamark

Real Red Glitter Embossing Powder, Real Red Cardstock, Cable Knit Dynamic - Stampin' Up!

New England Ivy Cardstock - Close to My Heart

Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Double Ups: Rectangle Die Collection - Papertrey Ink

Strong Coffee

Hello!  I so badly wanted to create a card using this weeks sketch challenge at Split Coast Stampers, it took me a few days of pondering to figure out all of the layers in the sketch.  I'm so happy with how this card turned out.

I used this cute, free digital set from Verve Stamps called Rise and Shine.  I touched the open loops on the sentiment with some color, and colored the mug with Copic markers.  After they were colored, I brushed the sun on the mug and the lines on the sentiment with Wink of Stella for some shimmer.

Supplies Used:
Rise and Shine - Verve Stamps
Cardstock - Aqua Mist - Papertrey Ink, Sorbet - Close to My Heart, Solar White - Neenah, Kraft - Stampin' Up!
Sweet Sorbet DSP - Stampin' Up!
Copic Markers
Ribbon - Close to My Heart and Maya Road
Wink of Stella

Pink, Grey, and Purple Mojo Birthday

I loved the idea of the color challenge at "Just Us Girls" this week, it's pink, grey, and purple.

I combined it with this week's Mojo Monday 489 sketch.

I wanted to dress up the Pansy Purple medallion I cut out, so I decided to use my brand new Distress Oxide ink to stamp a background.  After stamping, I spritzed it so it would oxidize, and quickly dried it with my heat gun.  After that, I stamped the butterfly over it with platinum pigment ink.  

The Wednesday challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog is to use more than one die or punch.  I opted to make a pink ombre panel using a loop punch that I layered.  I stamped the sentiment and used the corresponding die to cut the banners, and I cut the purple medallion out with a Spellbinders die.

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Itty Bitty Banners, Bliss - Stampin' Up!

Inks:  Smokey Plum - Close to My Heart, Worn Lipstick Distress Oxide - Ranger, Platinum Planet - Brilliance

Cardstock - Soft Stone, Smokey Shadow, Sweet Blush - Paper Trey Ink, Pansy Purple, Blush, Hollyhock. Petal - Close to My Heart

Embossing Folder and Banner Die:  Honeycomb and Bitty Banners - Stampin' Up!

Ironworks Motifs - Spellbinders

For Baby

I went super clean and simple for this weeks CAS(E) this Sketch #213. I wanted to combine it with this weeks The Paper Players theme, which was a CAS baby card.  When I sat down to create a card for both challenges, I couldn't decide between  boy or girl, since it was such a simple card, I decided to do one of each.  Here they both are:

Please forgive the photo quality, it's time to retire this camera.  I noticed especially with these photos the odd spots, and lack of focus.  My youngest daughter dropped it about 2 weeks ago, and I think its done.  Here is the boy card:

I've been playing with new inks and cardstock from different companies.  I still like my Close to My Heart inks, however, it's been long enough that some of my colors are retired and I can't order matching cardstock for them.  So this card has some new to me brands of ink and cardstock.   Here is the girls:

If you look closely at the cards, I wanted to do some sort of border on the main white cardstock.  I don't have any dies that emboss a border, but I did have a stitching stamp set.  So I played around with the color for stitching and ended up using a second generation stamped in Grey Wool.
Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Baby Love, Simple Stitches - Close to My Heart
Inks:  Grey Wool, Sky - Close to My Heart, Tuxedo Black - Memento, Lavender Glaze - Taylored Expressions
Paper - Neenah, Winter Wisteria - Paper Trey Ink
Sequins - Target Dollar section

Language of Friendship CASE

The newest challenge from Time Out Challenges #79 is a CASE challenge.  I thought the birdhouses hanging from the tree with the sentiment that said "Happy New Home" was adorable.  It reminded me that I had the Language of Friendship stamp set and the corresponding punch.  I stamped the branch on Kraft and Sweet Leaf cardstock, punched them out, cut off the leaves and glued them on the Kraft branch.  I used my Cloudy Day embossing folder on the background card stock and decided to break out my new distressing ink to give the clouds a blue tinge.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Language of Friendship - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Rich Cocoa - Memento, Desert Sand and Garden Green - Close to My Heart, Tumbled Glass Distress Ink - Ranger
Cardstock:  Kraft - Stampin Up!, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue- Close to My Heart
Cloudy Day embossing folder and bird punch - Stampin' Up!

Peace on Earth

I joined two challenges for today's creation.  At Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #239, it was a color challenge.  We were to use gold, copper, and turquoise.  I have to admit, I had to dig deep to find something copper in my craft room.  Gold, no problem.  Copper, ummm let me check.  I did end up buying some copper stickles today at a craft store (which I ended up not using).  I decided that I wanted to emboss the image of the Holy Family with gold embossing powder.  While I was trying to pull this card together, I really wanted to use the star stamp that was in the stamp set.  I remembered that I had a whole collection of Martha Stewart glitter in the bottom of a drawer.  So I pulled that out, and there it was, copper colored glitter.  I stamped the stars with Versamark, added a little heat and stick power, heat it, poured the glitter over, and heat set it.  Viola, copper colored glittery stars.

The second challenge I took was the "Just Us Girls" Challenge # 384.  This week was to use a stencil.  I had one from the glimmer mist that I haven't used in years, so I was excited to pull that out and use it.  I used it with some Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist.  It created a very soft, shimmery background.  I had a hard time photographing it, but in real life it's very pretty.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Glory to God - Close to My Heart
Inks:  Versamark, Tuxedo Black - Memento
Cardstock - Lagoon - Close to My Heart
Glitter - Martha Stewart
Glimmer mist and Stencil - Tattered Angels
Gold Cording and Heat and Stick Powder - Stampin' Up!

Dino-rrific Mojo Monday 488

I really liked this weeks Mojo Monday sketch.  I had envisioned something soft and feminine with washi tape for the long thin panel.  However, that's not how it turned out.  When I went to select a stamp, the No Bones About It from Stampin' Up! jumped out at me.  So I ended up making a kids birthday card instead.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  No Bones About It - Stampin' Up!
Inks: Grey Wool, Lagoon, Pear, and Sunset - Close to My Heart
Paper:  Hooligans - Close to My Heart

Baby Baptism

The daughter of some of our closest friends is getting baptized tomorrow.  We were invited to celebrate with them, so I needed to make a baptism card.  I thought this weeks sketch at Freshly Made Sketches was perfect for what I envisioned.

I wanted to use this cross die cut from Spellbinders.  I cut it out in metallic silver, but decided to layer it with some baby pink cardstock behind it so it stood out better.

Supplies Used:
Die cut - Spellbinders
Embossing Folder:  Lacy Brocade - Stampin' Up!
Cardstock - White - Stampin' Up!, Baby Pink - CTMH
Silver Metallic paper - Creative Memories
Lace Tape - Decollections

Keep Calm Color Throwdown #433

I was poking around the internet trying to find a color challenge.  I found the challenge at The Color Throwdown, this week it was to use the colors cornflower blue, green and white.  I immediately knew that I had to try that challenge. The first stamp that came to mind when I saw this challenge was the Watercolor Wash stamp from Stampin' Up!

Also this week at Split Coast Stampers, the clean and simple challenge (CAS419) is to create a card with green, Irish, or lucky.  This is my first attempt at a clean and simple card.  While I like the look that other people create in this style, I myself have a hard time executing it.  I still was unsure about it, then my 10 year old found it and gushed about it.

Supplies used:
Stamps:  Watercolor Wash and Carry On - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Sweet Leaf and Pacifica - CTMH
Cardstock - Stampin' Up!
Embellishments:  Sparkles - CTMH. Sequins - Target

Master's Butterfly Mojo Monday 487

I enjoyed pulling this card together, I was able to pull out paper that I haven't used many times. I followed the Mojo Monday sketch for this card.

Stamps:  Beautiful You - Verve

Ink:  Tuxedo Black - Memento

Paper:  Sycamore Street - Stampin' Up!

Embellishments:  Ribbon - May Arts, Bitty Sparkle - CTMH

Hello Day

I used the sketch from Split Coast Stampers card sketch challenge for this next card.  I just love this stamp, she makes me smile.  To give her a little more attitude, I tried to color her outfit with bright colors, just on the verge of clashing.  I used Diamond Glaze on the sunglasses lenses, and Wink of Stella on the keys and necklaces.  Since it's the beginning of March, I'm enjoying using this bright paper and dreaming of summer days.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Hello Day - The Angel Company
Ink:  Tuxedo Black - Memento
Paper:  The Freshly Picked Stack - DCWV, Hollyhock cardstock - CTMH
Embellishments:  Ricrac - CTMH, Diamond Glaze - Judikins, Wink of Stella. Copics, BIC markers

Spotlight on Friendship

I decided to try the  challenge at Time Out Challenges.  The card needed to have a love or friendship theme and as an option, use the spotlight stamping technique.  I admit, I had to google that technique, you add color to one raised area of your image.  It took me a few days of thinking about the technique and going through my stamps sets not once, but twice, before I decided on this set.  I'm not sure I did the technique correctly, but I did like the final card I came up with.   I stamped the image twice, once in black, once in Lagoon.  I cut the black image out with a circle die, and fussy cut the friendship banner out with a scissors.

I have a confession, this is actually take 2 on this card.  The first one didn't have the black mat between the card base and the newspaper print paper.  It also had a white mat beneath the diamond layer instead of the ruffle ribbon.  I didn't like it.  It needed more.  So I ripped it apart and went in search of black cardstock.  I'm out.  I had to cut the back off a black card so I could have something to cut the scallop circle out of.  Thankfully, I had cut the scallop with enough edge that I could use it under the newsprint paper.  I also added 3 clear sparkles to the bottom right corner.

Stamp:  From My Heart - Stampin' Up!
Ink:  Lagoon - Close to My Heart, Tuxedo Black - Memento
Paper:  Enchanted Collection - Bo Bunny
Dies:  Spellbinders
Ribbon and Sparkles:  Stampin' Up!

Rolling By Mojo Monday 486

This week for Mojo Monday, I decided to pull out a stamp set that I've had for over 5 years.  As far as I can remember, it's never seen ink.  It's to cute to let it sit unused any longer.  I colored it with Copics and BIC markers.  I glazed the bubble with Diamond Glaze.  I wanted to use paper with a fun pattern and bright colors.  I finally settled on The Freshly Picked Stack from DCWV.  I had a hard time finding a cardstock that matched the paper.  My cardstock stash is running low, but I'm bound and determined to use most of it up.  I'm trying to decide which brand I want to purchase, Close to My Heart again, or switch to another company.  Eventually I will have to decide, but for now, I use what I have.

Supplies Used:
Stamp:  Cute Chick - The Angel Company
Ink:  Tuxedo Black - Memento
Cardstock:  Hollyhock - Close to My Heart
Markers: Copic and BIC
Embellishments:  Sparkle - Close to My Heart, Diamond Glaze - Judikins

Sparkly Nature's Peace

For the Merry Monday challenge this week, we are to have a creation with shimmer and sparkle.  I've been enjoying using up paper that I've had for a number of years and pulling out stamps and other supplies that I haven't even used yet.  This week, the stamp set was Nature's Peace from Stampin' Up!.  I also had iridescent ice embossing powder from Stampin' Up! that I hadn't opened yet.  For some reason, I was thinking the embossing powder was white with glitter mixed in, so my first creation came out like this:

Not exactly what I was hoping for.  I wanted the shimmer from the powder, but something that was easier to read, so I decided to try using a white pigment ink pad to stamp the image and then top it with the iridescent ice embossing powder.  I also decided to change the cardstock color, attempt number 2 came out looking like this:

I liked the changes on take #2 better.  However, once I got that far, it occurred to me that I should try silver embossing powder (and of course a darker blue cardstock).  So here's take #3:

After playing around with all 3 takes, I decided to cut them out using a Spellbinders die, and to add bitty sparkles to the centers of the snowflakes for some added sparkle.  Which one is your favorite?

Supplies Used:
Stampset:  Nature's Peace - Stampin' Up!
Inks:  White Daisy Pigment - Close to My Heart, Versamark
Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler - Stampin' Up!, Twilight Blue, Outdoor Denim - Close to My Heart
Embossing Powder - Iridescent Ice - Stampin' Up!, Silver - Close to My Heart
Embellishments - Bitty Sparkles - Close to My Heart
Paper - Good Cheer paper pad - October Afternoon
Diecut - Spellbinders