JUN14VSND- Every Day "Vacay"- Happy Retirement!!

Hi Again Stampers! 

Here is the final card created for the Splitcoaststampers’ Virtual Stamp Night (VSN) Friday Challenges- this one is for the JUN4VSND “Every Day Vacay” – create a Retirement card, Graduation or Congratulations card.   Since I used a background stamp, this card also qualifies for the SUO98 "Stamping in the Background" Challenge :-)

As my husband and I start to think about retirement, we dream of traveling (mainly to the US - we would love to travel cross country and visit all of the natural parks in the continental US) :-)    

With that dream of ours in mind, I decided to use World Map and a few other digital images to create this card.  The finished card seems a bit busy to me but that is what retirement is all about- being busy doing what you want- lol!!!

Again, the only main rule for VSN is that you have to create your card, start to finish (not including photographing and posting) within 60 minutes- this card took almost the entire hour but I did complete within the time frame- woohoo :-) !!

If you have a chance, check out the rest of the gallery at Splitcoaststampers for this challenge- so many fun and unique designs!

To create this card:

FYI- Most of the card uses My Digital Studio (MDS) images and since I looked at the challenges as a whole in the beginning,  I had designed the cards and printed the images in the beginning onto one piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Color the map using Stampin’ Blendabilities™- Skin Tone Collection, Old Olive, Coastal Cabana.  Once colored, distress the edges using the Distressing Tool and use a Sponge Dauber to apply Early Espresso Classic Ink to the edges.

Cut the map into thirds (you may not need to cut your map if you use the stamp instead- mine was a bit small so I hid the cut lines with other elements).  Uh, oh!!   Now you know all of my secrets- lol!!  (oh, we have a perfect stamp in the new catalog for that :-))

Layer the cut map onto Basic Black cardstock, trim and layer onto Sahara Sand cardstock trim and layer onto Basic Black and finally add to the Coastal Cabana card base.

Use a Sponge Dauber with Early Espresso Classic Ink to “age” the layers. 

Cut out the remaining images from World Tour (used the Big Shot™ with the Circle Collection Framelits™ to cut the All Abroad Image) and layer onto Basic Black cardstock.  

Color the images using Stampin’ Blendabilities™- Daffodil, Pumpkin Pie and Coastal Cabana Collections. 

Apply Crumb Cake Classic Ink with a brayer and Early Espresso Classic Ink using a Sponge Dauber to “age” the paper and age the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes (enlarged before printing with MDS). 

The sentiment layer was created using scraps- Coastal Cabana, Basic Black and Sahara Sand.  Add the sentiment and a few pieces of knotted retired Hemp Twine, adhere to the card front.

Stamp the sentiment, “Congratulations” from the retired Express Yourself hostess set using Memento™ Tuxedo Black ink onto Whisper White cardstock.  Trim and use the Banner Punch to create the banner points, add to a Basic Black cardstock layer, trim and create banner points as well with the Banner Punch. 

Add the sentiment and international stamp images to the card using Stampin’ Dimensionals®. 

Use the retired Color Spritzer Tool with the Early Espresso Stampin’ Write marker to add additional distressing to the sentiments and add the So Saffron Candy Dots to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  World Map, World Tour, Teeny Tiny Wishes (all MDS versions), Express Yourself

Ink:  Printer Ink- Black, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Stampin’ Blendabilities™- Skin Tone, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie and Coastal Cabana Collections; Memento™ Tuxedo Black 

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Coastal Cabana, Sahara Sand

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Circle Collection Framelits™, Banner Punch, Distressing Tool, Brayer, Sponge Dauber, 1 ¾” Circle Punch, retired Hemp Twine, Candy Dots

Thanks again for stopping by and I do hope you will have time to join in on the fun!  

SUO98 Stamping in the Background- A CAS Floral Card :-)

Hi Stampers! 

It’s that time again- the new SUO98 Stamping in the BackgroundChallenge!!

For this challenge we would like to see your projects created with Stampin’ Up! Only products and to use stamps to create your background paper.   I decided to turn to My Digital Studio (MDS) again but this card could easily be made with the stamps as well (the flowers, leaves and sentiment would be smaller) but I think it would be fine :-)  I like using MDS for cards since it is quick and easy :-)

I hope you will have the time to visit and check out the rest of the fantastic Design Team projects-guess what?  We have a new designer joining our team this week (welcome Stacey Ailes!) !!

To create this project:

In My Digital Studio (MDS), open a blank 8.5 x 11 custom page and insert the Dictionary background stamp image, re-size to fit the A2 (approx. 3 ⅜”  x 5 ¼”).  Insert the scroll from Everything Eleanor over the Dictionary image and repeat/flip for the result that you desire

On the same page but lower on the sheet, insert the flowers from Everything Eleanor and a few leaves (I used French Foliage which is part of a digital kit).  Insert the sentiment from Wetlands and remember to leave plenty of space around the images so you can fussy cut out the flowers/leaves and create the banner for the sentiment.

Print out the sheet onto Whisper White cardstock, trim the background Dictionary panel and mount onto Basic Black cardstock and again onto Rich Razzleberry cardstock and mount onto the Basic Black card base.

Add the silver highlights to the scroll image using the Silver Marker.

Color the flowers with the Rich Razzleberry and Daffodil Delight Blendabilities™ Collection and the leaves with the Old Olive Blendabilities™ Collection.  Carefully cut out the images by hand.

Create the sentiment banner using the Hexagon Punch and layer onto a piece of Basic Black cardstock (cutting the banner points with the Hexagon Punch as well).

Layer the flowers, leaves and sentiment using Stampin’ Dimensionals and add a few Pearls to the corners to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Everything Eleanor, Dictionary, French Foliage (all MDS versions)

Ink: Printer Ink- Basic Black, Blendabilities™ Collections- Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight and Old Olive; Silver Marker

Paper/Cardstock:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry

Accessories:  Hexagon Punch, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by - I hope you have a chance to join in on our “Stamping in the Background”SU-Only Challenge!