PPA57 For All You Do

This is my first sketch challenge with Pals Paper Arts. This was a sketch that pushed me creatively but I liked it's clean lines. I like to force myself to do cards that don't immediately pop into my head with ideas to help me grow as a creative stamper. It took me forever to decide what stamp set I was going to use, what colors I was going to use, and what Designer Paper I was going to use. In the end, I like how it turned out.

My flowers are created by using a More Mustard ink pad on the flowers stamps and then sponging Elegant Eggplant ink on top of it. It gives a little more depth to the stamp.

I used the following Stampin' Up supplies to make this card:

For All You Do Stamp Set

More Mustard and Elegant Eggplant Classic Inks

Always Artichoke and Elegant Eggplant Stampin Write Markers

Naturals Ivory, Crumb Cake, More Mustard, and Elegant Eggplant Card Stock

Regals Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack

Regals Brads

You can see more cards created with this sketch by going to the Pals Paper Arts blog.

TSSC136 Striped Long Fellows

This card was loosely based on the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 136.

 

As it turns out, this card is full of memories.

I made the orange cat in honor of an orange cat that used to live in our neighborhood when I was a kid. His name was "Cheeto" which I think is the best name for an orange cat I've ever heard.

 

I got a little stripe happy compared to the sketch. My main image was smaller and the stripes I was adding started to remind me of a rugby shirt I had in the 90s.

 

I could say the orange bow reminds me of something, but I can't think of anything. I just had to move it to the other side to balance out "Cheeto."

I hope you like it and that it reminds you of something happy, too!

I used the following Stampin' Up supplies to make this card:

Long Fellows Stamp Set

Basic Black Classic Ink

Pacific Point Stampin' Write Marker

Whisper White, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and Pacific Point Card Stock

1/8" Pumpkin Pie Taffeta Ribbon

You can check out more cards made with this sketch at the TechnoStamper blog by clicking here.

Sketch Frenzy Flowers Friday!

It's Friday again! And a flower-y Friday at that!

This is such a cute sketch. It just screamed flowers to me so I had to use the new "Printed Petals" stamp set. I never used to cut stamped images out because I thought it took too long. Well, it does take awhile, but it's been worth it on the cards I've taken the time to make with that technique. It's bright and cheery, which was perfect for a gray day in Arizona today. We don't get many of those around here!

I used the following Stampin' Up materials to make this card:
 

Printed Petals Stamp Set

Melon Mambo, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, and Rich Razzleberry Classic Inks

Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Certainly Celery, and Old Olive Card Stock

Circle, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, and 1 3/8" x 5/8" Oval Punches

Stampin Dimensionals

Paper Snips

To see the next great Sketch Frenzy Friday blog, be sure to visit Brenda Taylor's blog next. After you've toured all the blogs, make your own card based on this sketch and upload it at http://www.sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/

Happy Stamping!

Mojo153 Cottage Garden x 4

If you like to use sketches when you stamp, there are a lot of great ones this week. I decided I liked the Mojo Monday one the best so I made a card using it for the basic guidelines. You may notice that I left off some of the accents at the bottom. That's the best part about sketches! You can take what works best for your card and then use, change, or leave out the rest. It makes the card your personal style without having to come up with the whole idea yourself.

I hope you enjoy the card I made featuring the Stamp Set "Cottage Garden" and the matching Designer Series Paper "Sunny Garden." I'm determined to use what I have this year and not just wait for something many years down the road when it might be the perfect fit!

To get the flowers to stand out more on the Sunny Garden paper, I covered the top 3/4 with white vellum card stock. The vellum just toned down the Designer Series Paper but still allowed some of the colors and pattern to show through. I put adhesive behind the four squares so it wouldn't show through. I like the effect it created.

I made matching flowers stamped in lighter colors by inking my stamp, and then stamping it twice without reinking. This provides a perfect match when you want one color, but two different shades of it.

I used the following Stampin Up products to make this card:
 

Cottage Garden Stamp Set

Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait Classic Inks

Whisper White, Poppy Parade, and Early Espresso Card Stock

Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper

1/2" Stitched-Poly Poppy Parade Ribbon (say that 3 times fast!)

Square and Scallop Square Punches

VC Rocks Friends Fur-ever

This is VC Rocks fourth blog tour of the summer. VC Rocks is a group that meets online every summer. We have amazing swaps, informative classes, and best of all make new stamping friends. The only bad thing about it is that it only meets during the summer and it's almost time to end it until next year. Of course, you can always continue to email and keep in touch, but the group as a whole will not meet.

So, it seemed appropriate to make this card for our final blog hop. I'm not overly vocal on the group, but I love hearing how everyone is doing, praying for each other when tough times hit, sharing laughs, and seeing the fantastic cards and other items this talented group of ladies make.

We are friends fur-ever.

I used the following Stampin Up supplies to make this card:

Friends Fur-ever Stamp Set

Melon Mambo, Pacific Point and Basic Black Classic Inks

Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Sahara Sand, and Basic Gray Card Stock

Jewelry Tag Medium Punch

Scallop Square Bigz Clear Die

1 1/4" Striped Daffodil Grosgrain Ribbon

If your on the VC Rocks blog tour, you probably came from Terri Tank's blog "My Stamp Vault." The next blog on the tour belongs to Ellen Kemper. You can find it by Blinkin', Thinkin', and Inkin'.

If you'd like to start at the very beginning, click to go to the VC Rocks homepage where you'll find some great cards there, too!

Party Hearty with Sketch Frenzy Friday

This Friday's sketch was one that would be easily adapted to any type of card- elegant and serious or cheery and fun. I used it to make a birthday card for a special girl turning 5. I wanted it to be bright and happy for her and I think it is!

I used the following Stampin Up supplies to make this card:

Party Hearty and Family Phrases Stamp Set

Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, and Basic Black Classic Ink Pads

Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, and Daffodil Delight Card Stock

Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper

Word Window and 1 3/4" x 7/8" Oval Large Punch

Now be sure to go to Brenda Taylor's blog to see what she did with this sketch. After the tour, create your own card and show it off at the Sketch Frenzy Friday blog.

Wiener Dog BUSTED!

"Life with a Wiener Dog" needed a wiener dog post. So, here it is.

I know what you wiener dog people are thinking. "Why did she leave that box of cereal where that sweet little wiener dog would be tempted?" If you're not thinking that, I can guarantee that my parents are.

So, let me explain. I was at Walgreens and they had "Cookie Crisp" cereal on sale. I haven't had "Cookie Crisp" cereal for about 25 years, but I remember it well from my childhood. It turned the milk into chocolate milk just by being in your bowl.

So, in a blast from the past moment of weakness, I bought it.

It's not as good as I remembered and it doesn't fill you up at all, so I wouldn't eat it as breakfast anymore, but just in a handfull for a snack. This particular evening, I sat it on the floor by the computer.

Thinking I was not paying any attention, the intelligent wiener dog approached. He quietly sniffed the box and then gently knocked it over. I had already seen this, but was careful not to let on that I was aware of what he was up to. Being a good crafter and occasional scrapbooker (more blogger these days), I didn't grab something to knock Frank away, but instead my iPhone to take pictures.

Picture 1. Mmmm... I smell Cookie Crisp.

Picture 2. I believe I shall try one.

Picture 3. BUSTED

Now, please don't send me messages that chocolate will kill my dog. I love him dearly and only let him eat one so I could capture this all on my phone.

However, picture 3 would be worth it because he looked so guilty!
You have to admit that picture is funny.

Frank could not have looked so busted, ironically like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar, if he had been human. He was clearly caught and clearly knew it.

Ahh, my little wiener dog. Nice try. Now it's back to dog food and treats for you, my friend.

HSSIC28 Colorful Expanding Star

Every summer, I enjoy VC Rocks. The VC stands for "Virtual Convention." Those of us who are Stampin Up demonstrators or just Stampin Up lovers participate in swaps, games, online chats, and online courses.

Shari Dudek taught a class this year on the "Expanding Star Card." You can find directions to make your own Expanding Star Card on Shari's website "Shari's Stamp Pad" by clicking here.

I've also been trying to stretch my stamping abilities so I have been looking online for challenges.

I found this challenge on Hand Stamped Sentiments. The challenge comes from a page in a Pottery Barn catalog and you could create anything- card, 3D item, etc. as long as it was inspired by this page.

Well, when I saw the HSSIC challenge, I knew it was time for the challenge and the Expanding Star to meet! I hope you like it!

If you really like this and you'd like to reward me, please feel free to buy me that quilt from Pottery Barn. :)

 

I used the following Stampin Up supplies to make the Expanding Star:

Greenhouse Garden Stamp Set

(used to give the card stock some depth and design like material might have)

Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, and Night of Navy Card Stock

1/4" Night of Navy Grosgrain Ribbon

Bone Folder

TSSC134 and PPA55 Happy Together Challenges

I used two challenges to create this card.

The sketch came from TechnoStamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 134.

I got the color inspiration from Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge 55.

You can see many more cards created with these two challenges by clicking on the links above.

The result was a bright, happy, cheerful card!

I used the following Stampin' Up supplies to make this card:
 

Happy Together Stamp Set

Melon Mambo, and Daffodil Delight, and Tempting Turquoise Stampin Write Markers

Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, and Tempting Turquoise Card Stock

Build-a-Bear Workshop Pawsitively Prints 2 and Brights Patterns Stacks Designer Series Paper

Circles, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, and Scallop Edge Punches

1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon

Sketch Frenzy Friday!

It's been a long week! I'm so glad it's Friday because I'm tired!

I hope you enjoy the card I've made for this week's sketch. It will make a good birthday card for someone special!

I used the following Stampin Up supplies to make this card:

Party Hearty Stamp Set

Real Red, Pear Pizzazz, and Bashful Blue Classic Inks

Celebrations Designer Series Paper

Whisper White, Real Red, Pear Pizzazz, and Bashful Blue Card Stock

1 3/4" Scallop Circle Extra Large and Circle Punches

Real Red Brights Designer Buttons

1/4" White Grosgrain Ribbon

You can add your own card made with this sketch on the Sketch Frenzy Friday blog.
Go on to the next card on our blog tour made by Brenday Taylor.

Sunny Garden to Brighten Your Day!

This card goes out to all my friends-in person and online-

who make my life sunny even when it's raining on the inside.

Love ya!

This card is based on the Mojo Monday Sketch 151.

I switched it a little so I didn't have to cover up the flowers with my sentiment.

I love the "Sunny Garden" Designer Series Paper which coordinates with the "Cottage Garden" stamp set.

I used the following Stampin Up supplies to make this card:
 

Cottage Garden Stamp Set

Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight, and Early Espresso Classic Inks

Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Daffodil Delight, Very Vanilla, and Early Espresso Card Stock

"Sunny Garden" Designer Series Paper

Word Window and Eyelet Border Punch

1 1/4" Striped Daffodil Delight Grosgrain Ribbon

Sketch Frenzy Friday-a-Roo

This is what I'm learning about myself from doing a lot of stamping lately.

1. I like simple cards.

2. I like cute cards.

I'd like to be one of those stampers that has 800 pieces and the cards are elegant and beautiful. Unfortunately, that's not me!

I like simple.
I like cute.

The only thing I can say to disprove this is that my favorite card I've ever made is the Night of Navy "Always" and "Elements of Style" card. I would classify it as one of those beautiful and elegant cards.

But, if I'm staying in my comfort zone, I'll probably always reach for Build-A-Roo and Friends Fur-Ever before the fancy sets if I'm just making a card for fun.

So be prepared. Cute ahead when you enter "Life with a Wiener Dog" zone!

Then, I'll do my best to stretch for the fancy from time to time!

These are the Stampin Up products I used to make this card:

Build-A-Roo Stamp Set

Black StazOn Ink

Real Red, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, and Soft Suede Classic Inks

Whisper White, Real Red, Baja Breeze, and Night of Navy Card Stock

Circle Punches

Stampin' Dimensionals under the hearts and "Thanks" circles

1/4" Night of Navy Grosgrain Ribbon

Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Blender Pen

Check out all the Sketch Frenzy Friday Blog where you can post your own samples using this sketch. Or, to visit the next stop, go to Brenda Taylor's Blog.

Thoughts and Prayers Symapthy Card

I needed a very simple sympathy card for a gentleman from my church back in Illinois who's wife passed away last week with cancer. They had been married for 53 years. This is what I came up with for him. I hope it brings him a few moments of peace and comfort during his grief.

I used the following Stampin Up Supplies to make this card:

Thoughts and Prayers Stamp Set

Concord Crush Classic Ink

Whisper White and Crumb Cake Card Stock

Concord Crush Designer Series Paper from the Level One 6 in x6 in Hostess Paper Pack

1/2" Stitched-Poly Concord Crush Ribbon

3/16" Corner Rounder Small