PP35 With Sympathy

Hi Stampers! 

I have had an extremely busy week with work and ministry and finally had a chance to sit down and stamp a card. 

Unfortunately, I needed another sympathy card and decided to use the wonderful sketch PP35 Sketch Challenge this week at The Paper Players (http://www.thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/).   

If you have a chance, check out the Paper Players Design Team samples and all of the other creative entries- this sketch is wonderful and I will definitely use it again. 

Stamp Sets:  Nature Walk, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Basic Grey DSP (retired)

Ink:  SU! Basic Black Marker

Accessories:  Big Shot, Vintage Wallpaper EF, Ovals Die, Modern Label Punch,  5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, Black Brads (not SU!)

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope you have a great weekend!  

Imagine the Possibilities

Hi Stampers!

I created this card using this week’s ColourQ Challenge #CQC72 (www.colourq.blogspot.com) along with the Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Layout HHSSC55  (http://www.handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com/ ). The colors were quite interesting this week and always I love a sketch challenge!  All of the Design team samples were gorgeous- they are so talented! 

I chose this sentiment since you could always add more details such as pearls, lace, embossing to create a more vintage feel, but I had limited time and decided to create a CAS (Clean and Simple) card using scraps that I already had on hand, so I hope you can “Imagine the Possibilities”:-)

To create the first card:

I used a previously stamped piece of Crumb Cake (stamped with Bella Toile in Not Quite Navy) for the bottom of the “pocket”. 

The top of the pocket is a Whisper White piece of cardstock punched with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch and previously embossed with the Big Shot and the Finial Press EF (sponged with Cherry Cobbler ink). 

The flower is made from Tangerine Tango cardstock with the Fancy Flower XL Punch, Crimper Tool and an Antique Brad.  The edges of the flower were sponged using the Direct to Pad technique. 

The sentiment is from My Digital Studio set, Word Play and sized to fit within the Decorative Label Punch.

Stamp Sets:  None- MDS Word Play
Cardstock:  Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Crumb Cake
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze DSP

Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press EF, Decorative Label, Fancy Flower XL and Pinking Hearts Border Punch,  Antique Brad, Crimper, Sponge Dauber, Color Spritzer Tool, SU! Marker- Not Quite Navy

Thanks again for stopping by- I so love to read your comments and hope all of you have a blessed Sunday! 

Nature Walk Sympathy- Two Challenges in One!

Hi Stampers!

I really enjoy doing weekly challenges- not only because they keep me stamping, but they also challenge me to use colors that I may not normally combine or sketches (layouts) that I may not have thought of on my own.   I don’t know about you, but sometimes I tend to gravitate to the same colors and sketches and the challenges allow me to go “outside the box”:-). 

I love the colors from this week's PP34 Challenge at The Paper Players (http://www.thepaperplayers.blogspot.com) and decided to incorporate them with the CCMC138 sketch challenge from Create with Connie and Mary Challenge (http://www.createwithconnieandmary.com).   
Again, the Design Teams at both sites have gorgeous creations- if you have time, check them out! 

To create this card:

Using SU! Markers in Cajun Craze, Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake, color the floral image from the new stamp set, Nature Walk and repeatedly stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Mount this layer onto Cherry Cobbler and again onto Whisper White.

Use the Big Shot to emboss a piece of Cajun Craze with the Vintage Wallpaper EF and a piece of Crumb Cake with the Finial Press EF.  Spray the Crumb Cake piece with Frost White Shimmer Paint and cut a circle using the Big Shot and the Circles Original Die.  Trim another piece of Crumb Cake to layer onto Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White (punched with the Scallop Trim Border Punch).

Layer the pieces according to the sketch (I modified the sketch for a landscape card versus portrait), attach the ribbon and pearls and mount onto Whisper White and again onto Cherry Cobbler.

Stamp the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes with Cherry Cobbler ink onto Whisper White and punch out with the Word Window Punch.  Layer onto a piece of Cherry Cobbler punched with the Modern Label Punch and add pearls to finish the card. 

I hope you like this card and that it will bring comfort to the recipient.

Thanks again for stopping by-God Bless!

You're In My Thoughts- Color and Sketch Challenge

Hi Again Stampers!

I loved the colors from this week’s CMC137 Create with Connie and Mary Challenge (http://www.createwithconnieandmary.com) and the SSC190 sketch challenge at Stamping 411 (http://www.stamping411.blogspot.com/). The Design Team creations from both sites are fabulous- if you have time, check them out! 

I needed to make a quick card for a dear friend and decided to use My Digital Studio (MDS) again to create another hybrid card (I hope you are not getting too tired of the hybrid cards:-).

To create this card:

Use the Big Shot and the new Tulip Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock.  Using a piece of Pear Pizzazz embossed with the Background Patterns Texture Plate (herringbone pattern- I already had this embossed piece in my stash), punch the edge with the Scallop Trim Border Punch and then align the Tulip EF to emboss the edge above the punched border. 

Using MDS, print the floral image from Elements of Style, the bird image from Nature (mirrored to face the left) and the sentiment from Word Play onto Whisper White.  

Color the flowers using SU! Markers in Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz.  Using the Rose Red marker and the Color Spritzer Tool, spritz the floral image and thje sentiment.  Mount the floral image onto Baja Breeze Cardstock and adhere the Rose Red Seam Binding. 

Use the Pink Pirouette and Basic Gray marker to lightly color the bird image and “fussy cut” the bird (be careful around the feet). 

Use the Tag Punch to punch out the sentiment and layer onto Baja Breeze cardstock (also punched with the Tag Punch and the Scallop Trim Punch).

Assemble the card, mount onto Pear Pizzazz and Rose Red cardstock.  Add the pearls and Rose Red Seam Binding bow to finish the card. 

Even though there is not one stamped image, I hope you like this card- I had a great time creating it! 

Thanks again for stopping by- have fun stamping and God Bless!

Vintage With Sympathy

Hi Stampers!

I created this card using this week’s ColourQ Challenge #CQC71(www.colourq.blogspot.com) along with the Pals Paper Vintage Theme Challenge  PPA80 (http://www.palspaperarts.com/).

I love anything vintage and the colors from this week's ColourQ Challenge were perfect for a soft vintage look.

   To make this card:

De-static a piece of Whisper White cardstock with the Embossing Buddy and stamp the clock image from Sense of Time with Versamark ink and heat emboss with White Embossing powder.

Use Sponge Daubers with Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride and Pretty in Pink Classic Ink to fill in the clock face.  "Antique" with Crumb Cake ink.   Stamp the butterfly and bee image from Flores Suaves in Crumb Cake ink along with the bird cage from the new set, Nature Walk from the 2011 Occasions Mini.   Spray with Frost White Shimmer Paint and adhere a pearl in the center.

On a piece of Blushing Bride using Crumb Cake Classic Ink, stamp the butterfly, bee and birdcage in a random pattern.  Use the Big Shot and emboss with the Vintage Wallpaper EF - sponge with Crumb Cake ink. 

Using the Big Shot, emboss a piece of Whisper White with the Finial Press EF and a piece of Crumb Cake with the Square Lattice EF.  Punch the Whisper White piece with the Eyelet Border Punch and sponge with Crumb Cake ink.   Layer onto Blushing  Bride and attach the Kraft taffeta ribbon.

Stamp the sentiment in Crumb Cake ink onto Whisper White, lightly sponge with Crumb Cake and punch out using the Modern Label Punch.  Add the pearl to finish the card.

Thanks again for stopping by- enjoy your weekend and God Bless!

Happy Valentine’s Day- Two Challenges for Love

Hi Stampers!

I wanted to create at least one Valentine’s Day card for my husband and decided to use the PP33 “Love is in the Air Paper” Players Challenge- I miss the “gals” (see www.thepaperplayers.blogspot.com to check out all of the beautiful cards and projects) and I also noticed that Just Add Ink #JAI55 Challenge is “Just Add Love”  (see http://just-add-ink.blogspot.com/ )  so who could resist with all of this love?

I love my husband so much and we just celebrated 28 years together so the sentiment "Together Forever" is perfect! 

I decided to use My Digital Studio (MDS) again- it is so addicting!  This is an easy card to create- print out the images, a few punches, some ribbon and embossing and you are done!  Plus all of these images are included with the initial software- what a deal!

 Stamp Sets: MDS Always and Together Forever

Ink: Just your printer
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black and Real Red

Accessories: Big Shot (of course), Finial Press EF, Pearls, 5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon, Medium Oval, Heart and Word Window Punch

I hope you like this card and, if you do not own MDS yet, now would be a good time to invest during Sale-A-Bration.   Contact your local demonstrator, or if you live within the US and need one, you can connect to my website using the sidebar or send me an email.

Don't want to convert to MDS, of course you can still stamp- I know I still will but am having fun exploring something different:-)

Thanks again for taking the time to visit me and I hope you have a wonderful weekend and Valentine’s Day- God Bless!

Praying For You- One Card- Several Challenges

Hi Stampers! 

I want to thank all of you that participated in the Paper Players Blog Hop last week and the overwhelming number of you that were kind enough to leave a comment.  I loved reading them all and feel that I have gained so many stamping friends- you truly made my week!

This card is for all of you- I want you to know that I do pray for you as I read the comments and visit many of the blog sites that are in our fabulous world of stamping! 

 Last week, I created my first My Digital Studio (MDS)
 “Hybrid” card and had so much fun that I wanted to create another one.  I decided to use the colors from this week’s Just Add Ink JAI54 Challenge (http://just-add-ink.blogspot.com/) along with the sketch CCMC136 from Create with Connie and Mary http://www.createwithconnieandmary.com) and the theme of Ribbon and Lace Challenge from Hand Stamped Sentiments #HSSRLTC54 (http://www.handstampedsentiments.blogspot.com).

To create this card:

First, print out the Elements of Style floral spray and the sentiment from Thoughts & Prayers in Early Espresso on Whisper White cardstock.   One thing that I love about MDS is that you can resize the images and here the image for the floral spray is smaller than the stamp:-)  Use SU! Markers in Regal Rose, Rose Red and Soft Suede to color the image and the Color Spritzer Tool with the Soft Suede and Early Espresso markers to add the “spritz”. 

“Antique” with sponge daubers in Soft Suede and Early Espresso mount the image onto Regal Rose and Early Espresso (punch the edge of the Early Espresso with the Scallop Trim Border Punch).

Emboss a piece of Rose Red using the Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper EF,  sponge with Early Espresso.  Add the ribbon, lace and mount the focal image.

Punch the sentiment using the Medium Oval Punch and layer with the Scallop Oval Punch in Regal Rose and Early Espresso.  Add the bow, Antique Brad and Pearls to finish off the card.

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope all of you have a blessed week and have fun stamping!

PPA79 Get Well Wishes

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to create a card using the Stamping 411 with the Operators Sketch Challenge SSC189 (http://www.stamping411.blogspot.com/) along with this week’s Pals Paper Arts PPA79 Celebrity Color Challenge (http://www.palspaperarts.com/). 

If you have a chance, stop by their blogs to check out all of the wonderful Design Team samples along with all of the other submissions. 

First stamp the floral image from the new Occasions Mini set, Nature Walk in Basic Black and the color using SU! markers in Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry and Riding Hood Red. 

Stamp the bee in Basic Black and color with a SU! Crumb Cake marker.  Use a sponge dauber with Crumb Cake and Early Espresso to “antique” the cardstock and "spritz” with the Color Spritzer Tool and the Crumb Cake marker. 

Attach the 5/8” Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon and mount onto Riding Hood Red and Certainly Celery cardstock.

Stamp the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes onto Whisper White cardstock,  punch out with the Curly Label XL  and "antique” the paper with the sponge daubers as described above.  Use the punch again to create a layer with Riding Hood Red and Certainly Celery. 

Use the Big Shot with the Square Lattice EF for the Riding Hood Red background and finish off mounting onto Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry and Riding Hood Red. 

Stamp Sets:  Nature Walk, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Riding Hood Red, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice EF, Sponge Daubers, Color Spritzer Tool, SU! Crumb Cake Marker, 5/8” Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon

Thank you for visiting and thanks again to all of you that have left comments- I want you to know that I do read and treasure all of them- they bring so much encouragement to me!  Have a blessed week and have fun stamping! 

Button, Button- Set Sampler

Hi Stampers! 

Boy, has it been a busy month for me!  I can now finally share with you the set sampler that I have been working on using the new set Button, Button from the Occasions Mini catalog. 

I am part of Cindy Foder's downline and at our last quarterly meeting, she asked me if I would be willing to stamp the card fronts for the set samplers that are rewarded to the top demonstrators.   It is her custom to ask for a volunteer to stamp the set samplers and she needed 8 card fronts (4 sets of 2) with the first set consisting of 15 cards each,  second set of 9, third set of 7 and last set of 6 (a total of 54 card fronts).   Each set should have a few more embellishments or techniques than the last and she wanted to highlight the new stamp set from the Occasions Mini "Button, Button".

Set #1- Get Well Wishes and Just for You- 

The first card has the floral button heat embossed with Black EP onto Whisper White.  Punch out the button with the 1” Circle Punch and layer onto the flower from Daffodil Delight (punched with the Scallop Punch and embossed with the Big Shot and the Square Lattice EF).  Add the pearl to cover the buttonhole.  The sentiment is stamped using Teeny Tiny Wishes in Basic Black and punched with the Curly Label XL Punch.  The background layers are Basic Black and Whisper White embossed with the Big Shot and the Square Lattice EF.  Layer all onto Daffodil Delight to finish off the card. 

The second card utilizes one of my favorite techniques, Emboss Resist with Cherry Cobbler and Chocolate Chip ink. The sentiment is from the Hostess Level III Occasional Quotes set and the Pinking Heart Border Punch and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding finish were used to off the card.

Set #2 –Welcome Baby and Someone Cares-

For the Welcome Baby card, emboss the Garden Green background with the Big Shot and the Vintage Wallpaper EF.  After stamping the Whisper White cardstock with the multiple button stamps in Garden Green, Marina Mist and Melon Mambo and sentiment from Curvy Verses in Garden Green,   punch the edge with the Pinking Heart Border Punch and run the entire piece through the Crimper Tool.  Attach the 5/8” Marina Mist Satin Ribbon to complete the card.

For the Someone Cares card, ink the inside of the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder with Concord Crush before embossing the Peach Parfait cardstock.  Combine this with the Whisper White Square Lattice EF and Concord Crush punched with the Eyelet Border Punch.  Stamp the sentiment from the Hostess Level II set Occasional Quotes in Concord Crush onto Whisper White, punch out with the Decorative XL Label Punch and layer with Concord Crush.   

Set #3–Thinking of You and Happy Birthday-

The Thinking of You card incorporates a technique called “Embedded Embossing.”  The buttons from Button, Button are randomly stamped in Real Red, Pink Pirouette and Certainly Celery onto Whisper White and punched out with the 1” circle punch.  Using the Fancy Flower XL Punch with Pink Pirouette cardstock for the flower and punch the  leaves from Certainly Celery using the 5-Petal Flower XL Punch (cut in half). 

Adhere the leaves, flower and flower center to the Real Red layer and run the entire piece through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice EF.   Add Dazzling Diamonds with the Two-Way Glue Pen after the dry embossing.  Use the Big Shot with the Elegant Lines EF with a piece of Pink Pirouette, mount this onto a Real Red layer.  Mount the floral focal piece onto Whisper White and stamp the sentiment from Curly Cute in Real Red.  Punch the edge with the Eyelet Border, attach the 1/4” Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon and Rhinestones to finish off the card. 

The Happy Birthday card’s focal image was created with the Emboss Resist technique on Whisper White with Baja Breeze, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry and Tangerine Tango Classic Ink.  Once the embossing layers are completed, run the entire piece through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice EF. 

Mount the focal image onto Whisper White and Rich Razzleberry.  Add the 5/8” Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon to a larger piece of Whisper White and mount the focal image.  Stamp the sentiment from A Word for You in Rich Razzleberry and punch the edge with the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  Adhere the Rhinestones and mount the entire layer onto an embossed piece of Basic Black using the Big Shot with the herringbone pattern plate from the Textured Backgrounds I set. 

Set #4–Thank You and With Sympathy-

The Thank You card is Heat Embossed with Gold EP on Early Espresso cardstock.  Mount onto a layer of Crumb Cake embossed with the Square Lattice EF and attach the 5/8” Early Espresso Satin Ribbon and Antique Brad.

The With Sympathy card uses Emboss Resist on the Newsprint DSP with Clear EP and sponged with Early Espresso and Basic Black Classic Ink.  Emboss the Very Vanilla cardstock using the Finial Press EF with the Big Shot along with the background piece of Basic Black (hard to see in the photo).  Sponge the reverse side of the embossing on the Very Vanilla layer to highlight the de-bossed area and punch the edges using the Eyelet Border Punch.  Finish off with  1 1/4” Black Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, pearls, sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes and the Modern Label Punch. 

It was my honor to be able to create these cards for my "sister" demonstrators!  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask and I love reading all of your comments.  Have a great week stamping and I hope I have been able to motivate you to try something new this week!