WCMD 2012 Challenge 5: Trend Watch

I squeezed in some time to do another of Ellen Hutson's World Card Making Day challenges.  This one is WCMD 2012 Challenge 5:  Trend Watch Challenge by Julia Stainton.

I've been crazy about some of the latest shape trends...the chevron, zigzags, and more recently hexagons.  One shape I've always been fond of is harlequin.  As I flip through the volumes of patterned paper I have, harlequin is a repeat offender in every color and size.  And, I've noticed  very recently, some newer patterned paper (and stamps) in this design.  I think it is coming back in vogue!  So my trend of choice for this challenge is the diamond/harlequin shape.

I used  the pretty patterned diamonds trimmed from a piece of Pink Paislee designer paper.  A few of the diamonds were popped up with dimensionals for interest.  Sentiment is by Hampton Art and cardstock is SU! kraft.

I've really enjoyed making these challenge cards (see previous post also).  Thanks Ellen and Company!

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The Classroom WCMD Challenge #2

Once again, loooooooooong time, no post.

It was World Card Making Day this past Saturday, and life was pretty hectic.  I'd resigned myself that I just wasn't going to be able to participate in any challenges this year.  But then a little birdie, aka Colleen, called and left a voice message telling me about all the challenges going on out in the blogosphere.  I took a peek at the 5 challenges Ellen Hutson was sponsoring in her Classroom.  And Challenge #2:  Pinterest Inspired Challenge by Chari Moss caught my eye. 

I was inspired by the wood grain wall, branch and wall hanging above the bed in the picture and I immediately knew what I wanted to do.

This card originally started out in landscape format, but after all the pieces were made and laid out, it didn't work for me.  So, I flipped it to portrait format, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Cardstock is SU!, woodgrain impression plate is by PTI, branch die cut is by Memory Box, sentiment die shape is from Whimsy Stamps, sentiment by Savvy Stamps and yarns from my stash.

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OLW 102: While We're on the Subject...

Hello there blog friends!
Long time no post!
But, I just couldn't let the current One Layer Wednesday challenge expire tonight without an entry.  Especially when I had an idea for it.  So the challenge this past week over on Ardyth's blog, MASKerade, was to make a one layer card, with minimal embellishments, that is inspired by our favorite subject in school....way back when.   WAAAAAY   BACK.

And, before I get on with my card, I must say, "WOO-HOO" to Ardyth.  She is a new hostess for the OLW challenges and this is her first challenge.   Way to go, Ardyth....great challenge!

On to my card.

Can you guess my favorite subject?  Art, of course!  Spelling was a close second...I just couldn't come up with anything for Spelling that would be as bright and colorful as this.

I used a 1/2 inch wide paintbrush with all Memento inks.  I've really been into rainbows the last few months.  Sentiment is by Inkadinkadoo.

Thanks Ardyth!

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Celebrate With Style

Well, it worked out this week that I was able to make one card that satisfies the requirements for 2 challenges...yeah!

First up is the One Layer Wednesday (OLW) challenge #96, Birthday Bling from last Wednesday over at the Simplicity Blog.  The rules are one layer, birthday theme with lots of bling.

Second is the Less Is More (LIM) challenge #76, One Layer Challenge with 3 of anything from this past Saturday over at the Less Is More Blog.  The rules are one layer, and three of anything; three colours, three images, three stamps, three words, the number three...anything as long as it relates to the number three.

And, here's my card:

All stamps are by Hero Arts.  I used the polka dot flag from Friendly Flags to make the base of the party hats.  And a tiny flower from the Clear design Thinking of You set to make the fluff at the top of the hats. The sentiment is from Birthday Messages.  I stamped all three "hats"  & the sentiment using Brilliance Pearlescent Ink for a little shimmer and used some bling from my stash.

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Sailing By with Thanks

Here's a little card I whipped up for some boating friends of ours recently.  I liked it so much I made another for my stash.  And, Colleen needs to see it since she just acquired this sailboat punch.  

The paper is a mix of scraps, SU and PTI.  The sailboat is a Fiskars seasonal punch from last summer, the waves are a Fiskars border punch, the clouds are PTI, and the sentiment is Lockhart.

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OLW 95: Stars and Stripes

Yeah!  Was able to fit in another of Susan's One Layer Wednesday challenges!  Loved this one and loved how my card turned out if I say so myself!  I needed some thank you notes and this one was really easy to replicate.  The challenge, as always, is to make a one layer card, this time using a star and a stripe, any theme.  Well, I couldn't pass up the fact that Independence Day was this week....the star and stripe fed into my feelings of patriotism!

Used the retired solid stripes stamp (say that fast 3 times!) from SU!, the frilly star is a $1 clear stamp from Studio G, and the sentiment is from Savvy Stamps.  Used the new Nautical Blue ink from Memento (isn't it yummy???) and SU! Real Red.

This is my second post of the day....please scroll down and wish Colleen a happy birthday!

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Happy Birthday, Colleen!

Today is the big day!  It's Colleen's birthday!  And I DID it!  I made her birthday card with stamps that even SHE didn't know existed!  WOO-HOO!   Doin' the happy dance here...it's REALLY hard to find stamps that SHE is not aware of.  Whew!  Another year of secretive searching that SHE didn't know about!

Colleen, I hope your day is simply wonderful!  You are the bestest!  Wish I could  be there with you to celebrate!

I used stamps from Singing Souls by Unity Stamps.  And an Amuse oval.  And the tiniest heart punch out from the Martha Stewart Heartbeat border punch using glittered paper. Cardstock by Neenah and PTI.

Please click on over to Colleen's blog and wish her a wonderful day!

Now, off to start on next year's card.......

Thanks for peeking!

OLW 90: Dudes Rule

I had a chance to participate in the Simplicity one layer Wednesday challenge yesterday.  This week's OLW is to make a one-layer card for a man in your life.  I actually had this card in mind using punched hearts from colored cardstock, when I decided I could mask the hearts while stamping in different colors and then it would qualify for the OLW challenge.  Score!

The solid heart is from PTI Heartprints and the sentiment is from Paper Smooches Word Salad.  All ink is Memento.

And the dude in my life??  Well, my husband, of course!  We celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary this coming Sunday.

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Happy B-earthday

Isn't this lil' guy cute!???   

 He's the groundhog from Paper Smooches' Birthday Buddies set.  The sentiment is also from that set.  I am entering this card in the National Scrapbook Day contest that Kim announced over at the Paper Smooches blog.  Rules are cardstock only, no patterned paper (unless it is made from cardstock and stamps) and Paper Smooches stamps.  I colored the lil' guy with my copics, used cardstock from PTI, SU! and my scrap stash.  Grass border punch is from Martha Stewart, cloud dies from PTI, and the sun punch is from Punch Bunch.


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Got Chocolate?

Yes, I know.
It's one week beyond Easter and Easter cards are sooo yesterday.  But, I have one more to post for this year.  It's been a busy week and posting just didn't cross my mind.  So sorry.  But, I like this card and I have to share.

This is the retired SU! Chocolate Bunny.  I love him.  He reminds me of all the chocolate bunnies I received in my Easter baskets growing up.  Reminds me of the one the EB left for me last Sunday.

I stamped him in Memento Rich Cocoa, cut him out and popped him up on dimensionals along with the top layer of grass made with the Martha Stewart grass border punch.  Clouds are by PTI.  Cardstock is a mix of SU! and PTI.  Sentiment was typed on my computer using the papyrus font and punched with SU! punches.

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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!   I hope you all have had as gorgeous a spring day as we have had here in FL.

A quick post with a quick 'springy' card.

Daffodils are by A Stamp in the Hand, colored with Memento Markers and re-moistened by huffing on the stamp before applying the stamp to paper.  Sentiment is by Savvy.    Sentiment band is by PTI, as is the embossing texture plate used on the yellow cardstock (click on the picture to get a closer look).  Embossed circle made with my Nesties.

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PTI Blog Hop

When I saw Nichole's inspiration photo for the March Blog Hop over at Papertrey Ink, I was really smitten with the colors.  And I had a bit of time last evening to work on a quick card.

The inspiration photo:

My card:

I used PTI Lemon Tart and Aqua Mist cardstock (yes, it really IS Aqua Mist!), Everyday Button Bits for the balloon strings and Mega Mixed Messages for the sentiment.  Various polka dots on the balloons were made with Versamark and stamps from my stash (the middle balloon design is from PTI Round & Round).  Martha Stewart balloon punch and EKSuccess border punch.  Twine from The Twinery.

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Wishing you the Happiest of Birthdays

This is a first!
I don't believe I've EVER had 2 posts in one day in the history of my blog!  Go Me!
After the last Tuesday Trigger post, I had an extra stamped image of the Hero Arts brocade...I couldn't just throw it away....I HAD to do something with it.  And there, next to my desk, was the Skipping Stones Design sketch challenge #119 printout.  Perfect!  That sketch along with the gorgeous, elegant colors of the most recent Tuesday Trigger inspiration, I had the card made in minutes (well, almost)!   Without further ado, here it is:

Details:

White, Crumb Cake & Blushing Bride cardstock by Stampin' Up!.  Vintage Brocade stamp by Hero Arts.  Large flower by Outlines, small flower by Basic Grey.  Sentiment by Memory Box.  Twine by the Twinery.  Button from Michael's.  Versamark and SU! Crumb Cake ink.

Oh!  And here's the Tuesday Trigger inspiration: 

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Tuesday Trigger: Simple Elegance

I decided to play a new challenge this week.  The one over at the Moxie Fab blog that uses a photo as inspiration.   

I decided to use both the color palette and the damask pattern of the rug.  I've had the Antique Brocade stamp from Hero Arts for awhile and I thought it just needed to get inky.   Loved the pop of pink mixed with the white and kraft-ish color.

Kraft (crumb cake) and white cardstock is Stampin' Up!  Green for the leaves is from a scrap in my scrap pile. The brocade is stamped in crumb cake ink.  The flower is the Little Stencil Flower by Hero Arts...I used a Marvy marker to ink it up and then used my Prisma pencils to add shading and depth after stamping. Sentiment embossed in white is by Savvy.  Seam binding is crumb cake by SU!, twine is the new Flax from the Twinery and the button is from A Muse.

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Neutrals Cream & Black & A Bit of Bling

A couple of quick cards today for a couple of quick challenges.  I don't often combine challenges (I think that's kind of cheating), but this week two of my favorites are walking hand in hand down the same road.

OLW 81 over at Jennifer Styles blog asks for cream & black with bling.   LIM 57 over at the Less is More blog asks for Neutral color.  Both ask for a clean and simple design.  Well, I think these fit the bill.  All cardstock is cream, with images and sentiment in black ink.

Agapanthus Cluster image by Stampendous, sentiment by A Muse, black bling by Hero Arts.

Agapanthus Cluster image by Stampendous, sentiment by Hampton Art, bling by Hero Arts.

Flower cluster image by Just For Fun, sentiment by Morning Star, bling by Hero Arts.

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LIM 55 Punches or Die Cuts

Is it too early for Easter??

This week's challenge over at the Less Is More blog is Theme:  Punches or Die Cuts.   This card uses a grass border punch by Fiskars and the basket/egg punch by Martha Stewart.  I pulled out some really old patterned paper that has a sky/cloud motif, grass and basket weave.  Gotta love using up that old stuff!  Sentiment is by A Muse.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and taking the time to comment...it makes my day!

PTI 5th Anniversary Day 4

Had a few minutes to play with today's challenge over at the PTI 5th Anniversary festivities.  Today we were to select one of the design teams' favorite color combinations and make a card.   Melissa Phillips color combo appealed to me and I was able to make another Valentine.   Besides white for the card base, I used PTI colors Autumn Rose, Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz and Simply Chartruese.  I used PTI Heart Prints for both the heart images (stamped in Versamark) and the sentiment.  Twine is from Doodlebug.

Punched out the hearts with a Marvy punch.
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Happy Anniversary PTI!

Today begins the 5th anniversary festivities over at Papertrey Ink.  Five years of fabulous stamps and a supporting cast of wonderful product.  Five years of the most incredible, jaw dropping inspiration from Nichole Heady and her Design Team members.   And, five years of fabulous February anniversary festivities.
In honor of Day 1 festivities, Nichole had her entire design team list each of their top five PTI items along with a favorite card or project and a special memory.  Then, she wowwed us all by announcing a grand prize package of ALL those top five picks to a random poster if we made a card that was inspired by one of the design team members favorite cards/projects.
I am always amazed by the clean graphic style of Maile Belles, and I used PTI Background Basics Text Style and a PTI sentiment from A Big Thank You to create my card.

A few punched flowers from my scraps and a few rhinestones colored with my copics finish it off.
Congratulations on a fabulous 5 years, PTI.  May you have 5 times many more!
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FTL 175: Clean & Simple Sketch

Boy, it's been a long time since I did a Clean & Simple sketch in the actual week that it appeared.  This is their 175th sketch and I love it!

I've been working on valentines and this seemed perfect for the reverse punch technique I wanted to try:

Used a Marvy heart punch, a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the swiss dots, My Sentiments Exactly sentiment, Hero Arts heart gem and ribbon from my stash.  Cardstock is SU.

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Less Is More 52: Sketch

Here's the current challenge over at the Less is More blog:

We were to follow this sketch closely...landscape orientation, 'band' on the left, sentiment on the lower right.

I love this sketch!  It lends itself so easily to all themes, from fun birthday to elegant wedding.  I chose to do a birthday card.

Image is by Hero Arts and sentiment by Penny Black.  Stamped the image with Tuxedo Black Memento on SU Pink Pirouette and colored with copics.  Border punch by SU.

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OLW 76: Color in Winter

This Wednesday's challenge over at Simplicity's blog was to create a single layer, grey and white card with a pop of color.  Some weeks when I read the new challenge I know exactly what I want to do (now whether it actually happens is another thing!), and some weeks I am lost in the weeds.  This was one of those weeks.  But, yesterday as I was rummaging around my flower drawers (stamp drawers!) I saw this awesome Penny Black image and immediately thought of masking out a portion of it to nestle in a sentiment.  Sentiment by Saavy.  Made the oval mask with a SU oval punch.  Had the card done in 15 minutes.  Taking a picture has taken much longer.  It is cloudy and dreary here today and 4 Ott lights just aren't doin' it for me!  Sorry for the poor quality image.

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Less Is More 50: One Layer - Birds

Feathers MacGee here.
My most favorite bird stamp.
From Eat Cake Graphics.

When this week's challenge to do a one layer card using birds at Less is More popped up, I knew just what to do.  I have made this card many times as a get well card.  I love making it because it just cracks me up...makes me smile.  I hope it makes you smile too.

Sentiment by Inky Antics.
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OLW 74: Red & Pink

I am soooo happy the OLW challenges are back!  Yippee!
These one layer challenges always pull me outside my comfort zone and when I am pleased with my results I get so hand clappingly (yes, it's a new word...my word) giddy that I dig through my stamp drawers looking for more stamps to use.  And, I usually end up using stamps that haven't seen the likes of ink since I bought them.  So, it's all good.
The challenge over at Simplicity's blog this past Wednesday was to use the colors red and pink only on a one layer card, keeping embellishments to a bare minimum.

The first card has a background by Hero Arts, image by Inkadinkadoo and sentiment by Hampton Art.

The second card incorporates a second Hero Arts background, and both image and sentiment are from Impress Rubber Stamps.

On the third card I used the Hero Arts Background I used in the first card, Lockhart image and Technique Tuesday sentiment.

Thanks, Susan....I had fun with this challenge!

And, thanks for peeking!

Rainbow Thanks

There are lots of wonderful sentiments in my new Paper Smooches Chit Chat stamp set, but, this 'thanks'  is my favorite.  I knew right away that I wanted to color it a rainbow.  And, then!  Less is More challenge # 47 asks us to use just  a SINGLE WORD on our card, and, Skipping Stones Design has a new sketch challenge #109 which is PERFECT for a rainbow color scheme!   How could I not make this card????

Cardstock is from my scrap pile, ribbon and gems from my stash.

Thanks so much for peeking!

Boston

This card is going to some friends of ours in Kentucky.  Their furry four legged baby recently crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.  Boston (or, Bossy, as many of the neighbors called him) was such a sweetheart who roamed the neighborhood and knew all the neighbors.  My favorite and most vivid memory of him was the day he and Chynna, another neighbor's dog sat for photos with my golden retriever/chow mix Sammy on her "sweet" sixteenth birthday.   My dear neighbor set her kitchen table with a pretty tablecloth, good china and silver for 3 place settings.  In the center of the table was a very large, many wicked, candle sitting on a cake plate resembling a birthday cake.  In 3 chairs placed around the table were Sammy, Boston and Chynna, all wearing party hats.  It was the funniest sight I and my neighbors have ever seen.  We laughed ourselves silly while all three dogs sat quite contentedly around the table.

On to the card:

Paper from my stash, sentiment from Club Scrap.

I'm also submitting this for the current Skipping Stones Designs challenge #108.

Thanks for peeking!