CFC#69 & PDCC#148

Wow, it's been a seriously long time since I've posted...but today, my youngest started full-day kindergarten...now I can get back into my craft room more often, yay!

To celebrate, I'm posting for two challenges today, CAS-ual Friday #69, and Play Date Cafe #148. I love combining challenges...it makes for even more of a creative exercise.

The CAS-ual Friday challenge was to use embossing. And here are the Play Date Cafe's colors for this week:

And here is my card with the lovely PDCC colors and embossing! :)



It's a little hard to see the embossing in a photo, so I took some close-ups:





That's it for me today! I had another card I started and was experimenting on, and it did NOT turn out. Oh well, live & learn! Thanks for stopping by...

Supply list:

Cardstock: Natural White (SU); Soft Stone (PTI); peach & blue (stash)
Stamp Set(s): Friendship Jar, Friendship Jar Fillers, Friendship Jar Summer Fillers (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Versamark; Black (CTMH); Silver pearl & clear embossing powder (CTMH)
Tools: Jar Ribbon die (PTI)

PDCC142 & WMSC108

It's a rare treat when I get to play in my craft room over the summer...and here I am, back for a second time already! Hallelujah for the moments when the hubby takes the kids for a few hours! ;)

I decided to spend today's precious crafting time working on a couple of different challenges, the Play Date Cafe weekly color challenge and the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. I combined the two for the first card posted here today. For my second card, I used the same PDCC colors, but this one is not my official card for this challenge because it's a CASE, big time! One of my big time heroes is Debbie Olson, and she created a gorgeous card quite a long time ago that I've been wanting to CASE for quite some time...usually when I take inspiration from another designer's card, I change it up enough so that it's mine, but in this case, her card was so beautiful that I just had to copy it almost entirely exactly as it was (different colors, of course, and different papers, stamps, etc, but the layout is exactly the same) You can see her fabulous card here...

So, back to today's challenges...here they are:

I took a close-up shot so the striped embossing could be seen a little bit more clearly...I liked the result as it reminded me of some kind of old damask wallpaper...(just what I was going for!)



And my other card, just for fun and for a friend who appreciates a handmade card just for display and no other reason! ;)



Thanks for taking a look...have a great day!

Supply list:

Let's Have Tea card~
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Sahara Sand (SU); Summer Sunrise (PTI)
Patterned Paper: all from Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Afternoon Tea & Afternoon Tea Sentiments (WMS)
Ink/Colorants: Pacific Point, Soft Suede (SU); Soft Stone (PTI)
Tools: Tag Sale #3 die, 2-1/2" circle die (PTI); Stripes embossing folder (SU); Fancy Tags die (Spellbinders)

Button card~
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Melon Mambo (SU); Summer Sunrise (PTI)
Patterned Paper: yellow from Good Morning Sunshine DSP, pink from Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Button Boutique (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Melon Mambo, Pacific Point (SU)
Embellishments: 5/8" satin ribbon Daffodil Delight (SU); fancy stick pinks (CTMH); Buttons (from stash)
Tools: Parisian Doily die, Doily Details die, Button Card dies (PTI)

Papertrey Blog Hop July 2012

Not that I've been terribly missed in blog land, but I've definitely been MIA since summer started! I don't know how you other gals do it, but I have a terrible time getting into my craft room when my girls are out of school for the summer (tips would be welcome here! ;)

Since they're in Vacation Bible School this week, I've had a few hours to be crafty, and fortunately this coincided with Papertrey's monthly blog hop. The inspiration photo/color combination for this month is so pretty:

I have a good friend's birthday coming up and another friend who's having a baby soon, so I decided to make both cards with this color scheme since I like it so much...

First up, the baby card:



I don't make too many baby cards (most of my friends are long past that stage!) so I haven't bought any new baby stamp sets recently...but these oldies (Bitty Baby Blessings & Baby Button Bits) are still wonderful goodies!

Here is the birthday card:


Also another oldie but goodie set, Beautiful Blooms II and also Butterfly Dreams. I have tons of new sets that I haven't even touched, so why am I using older sets, you ask? Good question...I guess I'm trying to go back to the beginning and pull out sets I got long ago and I'll work my way back to the newer ones. I can't wait to pull out the likes of Flippin' Out, Strawberry Patch and The Sweet Life (among MANY others!). Hopefully I'll be able to make more time to get out to my craft room to ink all those goodies up.

And here are just some detail shots of the birthday card, to show the shimmer I sprayed on, and the rhinestone frame that I colored with a Copic marker (love that you can do that! I'll never have to buy colored rhinestones again)





That's it for me for today...hope to be back here again soon...thanks for looking...

Supply list:

Baby card -
Cardstock: Summer Starfruit, So Saffron (SU); Berry Sorbet, Vellum, Melon Berry (PTI)
Patterned Paper: Summer Sunrise pattern pack (PTI)
Stamp Set(s): Bitty Baby Blessings, Baby Button Bits, Background Basics: Medallions (on onesie), Mat Stack 2 Collection (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Black (CTMH); Berry Sorbet (PTI); Versamark & Filigree White embossing powder
Embellishments:Pink Button (SU); Pleated ribbon (SU); Silk Ribbon (bow)(My Mind's Eye); Green embroidery floss (DMC)
Tools: Ad Sense die (PTI); Argyle texture plate (Sizzix)

Birthday card -
Cardstock: Melon Berry, Berry Sorbet, Simply Chartreuse, Summer Sunrise (PTI); So Saffron (SU)
Patterned Paper: Summer Sunrise pattern pack (PTI)
Stamp Set(s):Beautiful Blooms II, Butterfly Dreams (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Berry Sorbet, Melon Berry, Simply Chartreuse (PTI); Black (CTMH); Copic marker YG99; Smooch Shimmer Spritz
Embellishments: Rhinestone frame (CTMH)
Tools: Sunrise impression plate, Butterfly die, Beautiful Blooms 1, 2, 3 dies (PTI)

PDCC132

This week's Play Date Cafe is a fun one, Color Splash. And the splash of color is perfect for end of year teacher thank you cards: pencil yellow! :) I had so much fun putting these cards together with a combination of really cute stamp sets that are a combination of new and new-like (as in, purchased with great relish but not used of yet...but now they are!!)

My daughter in pre-k has two teachers, so I made two cards that are similar with the same color scheme. I also got to break out my new We R Memory Keepers Sew Ribbon tool and try it for the first time..I love it! Now I want more...

I also got "old school", breaking out the old-fashioned label maker! Kinda fun to do retro...

I added a coffee gift card to the inside of the card, using my new A Pocketful stamp set from WPlus9. I just love that set!

So here are the cards + some detail shots...











Supply list:

Cardstock: Black, White (SU)
Stamp Set(s): You are the Best (JustRite Stampers); Tag-its #6, Vintage Picnic, Heartfelt Basics, Just Hatched(PTI); A Pocketful (WPlus9); Sweet Chocolate (My Cute Stamps)
Ink/Colorants: Honey, Black (CTMH); Close to Cocoa (SU)
Embellishments: Yellow satin ribbon (American Crafts); Yellow label tape (Dymo)
Tools: Book Print & By the Numbers impression plates (PTI); Blossom Three and Banners dies (Spellbinders); Label Maker (Dymo); Sew Ribbon Scallop tool (We R Memory Makers)

PDCC131

Another week of Play Date Cafe! I must admit, this week's color combo was not my favorite (I LOVED last week's, but missed playing along), but it's always good to challenge oneself outside of one's regular preferences and comfort zone! Since I'm a week and a half away from celebrating my 10th anniversary, I am in the throes of making (at least) 10 anniversary cards for my hubby. So even though these colors aren't terribly conventional for an anniversary card, I thought it would be fun to do "different".

Supply list:

Cardstock: True Black, Shimmer White (PTI); Glorious Green (SU); light green (scraps)
Patterned Paper: from Summer Picnic DSP {retired} (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Happy Day, Make a Wish Additions, Lock & Key (PTI)
Ink/Colorants: Glorious Green (SU); Black, Kiwi (CTMH)
Embellishments: Pinefeather Baker's Twine (PTI)
Tools: Lock & Key lock & keys dies, Happy Day frame die, Heart border die (PTI)

There She Goes Mother of All Blog Hops 2012

Hello, Stampers!

I'm participating in the 3rd annual Mother of All Blog Hops sponsored by There She Goes Clears Stamps! All of us (customers and trendsetters) are featuring at least one of our favorite There She Goes Clear Stamp sets. Not only that, There She Goes is offering the chance to win some fabulous prizes! To find out how, please go to the There She Goes blog and read the simple instructions.

For my project, I chose to use the beautiful Welcome Home stamp set. I love sets like these that allow you to stamp a scene and create a little picture! I've never been able to hand draw, but love being creative, so being able to "draw" something with stamps is great for someone like me!

I really wanted a wooden door with stained-glass windows, so I chose to texturize both the door frame and the door with a woodgrain impression plate. I then stamped the windows on confetti cream cardstock, colored them with water-based markers (Copics might run a little too much when working in such tiny detail spaces), cut them out and pieced them over the window spaces. Then I stamped the same windows on vellum, cut them out and layered them over the colored windows. The confetti cream card base has an additional layer of confetti cream cardstock that was impressed with the woodgrain impression plate also. The effect is subtle, but creates just a little bit of dimension which I really like.

I layered the whole focal piece over a Spellbinders Nestie die cut and added some pink silk ribbon. For the sentiment, I simply punched out a heart, stamped the sentiment and then ran the whole thing through my Big Shot with the same woodgrain impression plate used on the door & frame. Voila!





That's it from me! Please click on the InLinkz below and follow it to the next blog...

Supply list:

Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede textured, So Saffron, Baja Breeze (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Welcome Home (There She Goes)
Ink/Colorants: Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler (SU); Markers - Baja Breeze, Regal Rose, Cherry Cobbler, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron (SU)
Embellishments: Pink Silk Ribbon (MME)
Tools: Woodgrain impression plate (PTI); Fleur de Lis Rectangle die (Spellbinders); Full Heart punch (SU)

PDCC129-CFC50

I'm again combining the two lovely challenges from the Play Date Cafe and CAS-ual Fridays. The CFC was pretty simple, just use some flowers! I was still in need of a couple more Mother's Day cards, so I thought I'd throw one together with flowers and the PDCC colors:

Well, this card turned out to be the "learning curve" card. I wanted to try a bunch of new things on it...techniques I haven't used a lot (embossing with PTI dies, using watercolor crayons w/stamps) and busting out some stamp sets that I've had for ages but never used (sad, I know). I also thought I'd practice my Copic coloring, but in the end, I decided to leave that for another time, as the flower that I colored at first just didn't turn out. That's when I turned to my brand-new looking watercolor crayons. I love these things!

I used a two-step stamp set from Technique Tuesday to stamp the outline of the focal flower, and then topped it off with the watercolor-look filler stamp. I liked the look, but it still needed something, so that's when I got busy with the watercolor crayons. I wanted to stamp the sentiment at the bottom, but it just needed something else, so that's when I decided to add the roses from the same TT set. Just stamping the sentiment in dye ink looked too bold, so I decided to color on the sentiment stamp with my watercolor crayon, misted it, then stamped. That worked. The final touch that balanced it all out was adding the scallops at the top. Before that, it was too color-heavy on the bottom. This card took me forever, but now that it's done, I'm pretty happy with the result. It was good practice at working at a design until I got it right. Sometimes that result comes together quickly, and sometimes it doesn't!



Supply list:

Cardstock: Lemon Tart (PTI); Natural White (SU)
Stamp Set(s): Two Steppin' in the Garden, retired (Technique Tuesday); Love Deepens (Verve); Boutique Borders (CTMH)
Ink/Colorants: Concord Crush, Purely Pomegranate (SU); Lemon Tart (PTI); Rich Razzleberry & So Saffron watercolor crayons (SU)
Tools: Limitless Layers circle dies, 1-3/4" & 2-1/2" (PTI)