Black and White Birthday Celebration

Created this fast and easy card today for a class project.  Who doesn't love black and white?

Stamps: Balloon Celebration
Ink: Memento Black
Paper: It's My Party Designer Series Paper, Basic Black, Whisper White
Accessories: Stampin' Up! Washi Tape (various sets), Silver Cord, Balloon Bouquet Punch, Washi Label Punch

Don't really think much more explanation is needed.  The strips behind the baloons are washi tape. The happy birthday is stamped and punched with the Washi Label punch.

Revamped Rose Wedding Wishes

Ever make something you just don't love?  The original version of this card was very different!  I had to keep remaking it, pulling off the focal pieces and adding something new.  Third time is the charm I guess!  The background swirled lines were causing the problem as it made everything so busy!  Finally got it to look great!

Stamps: Rose Wonder, Chalk Lines
Ink: Memento Black, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Rhinestones, Rose Garden Thinlits, Cherry Cobbler Linen Ribbon

The swirled lines were stamped using the MISTI and then colored in with a marker.  Rhienstones added to centers.

Rose was stamped onto Cherry Cobbler and Mossy Meadow Cardstock with black ink, cut out and adhered together, then adhered to card with dimensionals.  Added a few rhinestones.

Sentiment stamped in Cherry Cobbler, cut with the Rose Garden Thinlits.

Hillside Golfing Retirement

Hi all!  This card is for a co-worker who is retiring 10 days from now!

Stamps: Wild About Flowers, Lovely As a Tree, In The Meadow
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Pear Pizzazz, Always Artichoke, Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon, Smoky Slate, Markers: Blackberry Bliss, Calypso Coral, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon, White Chalk
Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Smoky Slate, Brushed Silver, Cajun Craze
Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Brayer, Sponges, Markers

I started with a 1/2 sheet of cardstock, trimming 1/4" off the sides to layer on the card base.

I tore a piece of scratch paper (thinner is better) and used it as a mask to brayer the green hills, using Wild Wasabi ink.  After moving the scratch paper and brayering a few times to create a set of hills, I brayered Pear Pizzazz underneath the Wild Wasabi areas.  

I used the reverse edge of the torn scratch paper (the torn off piece) to mask the top hills, and stamped the evergreen tree from Lovely as a Tree in Always Artichoke...but only the top portion, hence needing the mask.  Using a sponge with Always Artichoke, start adding the color all along each section of the hills.  Don't worry about masking so much.  I tapped but also smudged the ink with the sponge, to blend the colors a bit more.

Using markers in a couple areas of the hills, I randomly sprinkled various colored dots as distant flowers.  Stamped the grass image from In The Meadow in Pear Pizzazz and Wild Wasabi along the bottom green along the first hills.

Brayered the Sky in Soft Sky, using the reverse mask to cover the green hills.  Stamped the sentiment in Lost Lagoon.

For the Golf Club, I used retired Brushed Silver cardstock, cutting a 1 3/4" circle, then trimming the edges for the flat sides of the golf club head. It needed a little something, so using a Smoky Slate Marker I drew the lines, and used a sponge with Smoky Slate to add a bit of shading.

The golf ball, punch a white 1 3/8" Circle.  I use the end of my Stampin' Pierce tool (it has a rounded small tip), and with the circle on a foam pad, dipped the end of the piercing tool in Smoky Slate, pushing into the ball in lines.  It started to get out of alignment so I just did my best.  Turned out pretty good, looking a bit grunge.  Shaded with a sponge and a bit of Smoky Slate.

The golf tee is Cajun Craze, I merely cut the piece by hand.

Thanks for looking!  I hope the directions made a little bit of sense!

Spring TIME Cuter Bunnies

Happy Saturday!  I wanted to participate in some challenges on Splitcoast Stampers today.  I have not done any of the Fan Club challenges in a very long time, so I thought I would give it a go today!  I managed to combine 4 different challenges!

Stamps: Made With Love
Ink: Early Espresso, Tip Top Taupe, Melon Mambo
Paper: Tip Top Taupe, Melon Mambo Core'dinations, Early Espresso, Whisper White
Accessories: Star Confetti Punch, Heart Confetti Punch, Large Polkadot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Happy Heart Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Silver Cord, Blender Pen

Challenges are as follows:

1.  Central Theme: Spring.  In this case I used something that springs/hops...this adorable bunny!

2.  More is More: Create a simple card, then step it up for another card.

3. Sketch Challenge using this layout.

4. Word Play: Use elements with the letters of the word "TIME".  T= Tip Top Taupe color, I=Impressions (as in Textured Impressions Embossing Folders), M=Melon Mambo Color, E=Early Espresso Color.

The bunnies are colored with ink and blender pens.  I used the Core'dinations Melon Mambo Cardstock to bring out the hearts a bit more.  Otherwise both are pretty simple cards!  Thanks for a wonderful set of challenges, Fan Club!

Fab Friday 85 - Golden Vanilla Rose

Hey All!  It's time for another Fab Friday post!  This week's challenge found here: Fab Friday 85

Here is the sketch:

I had some scraps sitting on my desk from a previous creation, I decided to use them as the basis for my creation!  There are no stamps used on this one!

Paper: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Gold Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Deco Labels Framelits, Rose Garden Thinlits, Gold Thread, Star Confetti Punch, Gold Wink of Stella, Hexagon Punch, Dimensionals

I had the golden rose and leaves cut out, which is what I used for the idea of my card.  Adhered the rose and stars onto black, then using the Gold Wink of Stella, colored inside the rose!  It's absolutely gorgeous in person, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a picture that would quite do it justice!  Also hard to get the right colors in the pic.

Made the banner with a 1" strip of cardstock, using the hexagon punch to snip the banner ends.

Looped some gold thread a few times to adhere to the deco label layer.

Over all it's a pretty clean and simple card, with some breathtaking elements!  I cannot get enough of gold right now.  It seems like I am in the minority, but I find it to be so elegant!

Thanks for visiting!

Ivory Golden Piano Bravo!

This gorgeous card came together thanks to inspiration from a couple different places, one on December 2014 (Scroll Down Page) from Lyssa Zwolanek in which I recreated the piano keys with the Bravo sentiment (except in "Ivory" color instead of white) and another few cards which cut a rounded piano top which I don't have a link for.

Stamps: Bravo
Ink: Memento Black
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Gold Glimmer
Accessories: Rose Garden Thinlits, Basic Pearls, Black Raven Lace Trim

First, I cut a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock to 3 1/2" x 5 1/4". Stamped the Bravo in black ink. Along the long edge, cut into seven 3/4" pieces (they will be 3 1/2" x 3/4" each).  For the black keys, I cut strips into 1/2" width and 2" length pieces.  Adhere together for the keyboard.  I took the fine tip of a Sahara Sand marker to give the Vanilla keys a slightly distinct outline.

For the Piano card base.  Take a full 8 1/2" x 11" piece of black cardstock, fold in half.  Using a pencil I lightly drew a curved edge from the top for the piano lid, then cut along the line carefully with paper snips.  It's not perfect but I like it just the way it is.  I traced the top edge along some Very Vanilla cardstock to create the inside of the piano lid card (you can see underneath the lid that there is a slightly smaller layer inside, blank for writing).

Cut rose and leaf pieces using the dies, first from Very Vanilla, then from the Gold Glimmer for the inside pieces of the shapes.  Fine-Tip glue pen is perfect for the gluing.  I recommend lining up your outline pieces first, gluing the leaves one section at a time first while holding the others in place.  Place the gold inside first, before laying the rose outline overtop then filling in those sections again with gold.

For a little added something, used a piece of the black lace trim along the folded edge of the card flap, and a few pearls here and there.

A bit of work but so pretty!  Thanks for looking! <3

Summer Grapefruit Thank You!

Ok, I have to say, my SU! Team came up with a Tuesday Tint Challenge, so this week I thought it would be fun to participate.  Wow what awesome colors these are together!

Wild Wasabi - Watermelon Wonder - Pool Party - Daffodil Delight

Here is what I came up with:

Stamps: Apple Of My Eye, Watercolor Wash
Ink: Pool Party, Watermelon Wonder, Daffodil Delight, Wild Wasabi
Paper: Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Rhinestones, Sponges, Dimensionals

I stamped the open half fruit in Daffodil Delight, punched with the punch, then stamped a separate piece in Watermelon Wonder, cutting out around the pulp, then adhered inside the Daffodil rind.  For the whole grapefruit, I inked up the solid piece in Daffodil Delight, then taking a sponge and a very tiny amount of Watermelon Wonder, sponged lightly onto the Daffodil ink then stamped.

The stem is stamped in Wild Wasabi, then colored over with a Daffodil Delight marker for a brown color.

For the Watercolor background, I have a hard time inking it so I used a brayer to evenly ink up the stamp surface.  Stamped a few of the burst images in Pool Party onto the watercolor stamped background, adhering rhinestones in the centers.  Plus a couple of rhinestones on the open face fruit for a little glimmer drop!

Sentiment stamped in Wild Wasabi.

Thanks for visiting!

Old Elegant Bermuda World Changing Congratulations!

One more card for the day, this one a color challenge on Splitcoaststampers!  Using some pretty awesome colors!

I have a lack of graduation card cards in my stash, so here is another graduation themed card!

Stamps: Something to Say
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive
Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay
Accessories: White Glitter Tape, Itty Bitty Accents Punches, Rhinestones, Banner Framelits, Lucky Stars Embossing Folder, Sponges

Love how this turned out!  Had this banner scrap from the card this morning, so I stamped the sentiment on it in Bermuda Bay.  I stamped the star in each of the three colors, punching with the little star punch.

I took 3 strips of the white glitter tape, and stuck them onto the silicone mat with space between each, then using a sponged dabbed ink generously onto each strip!

Embossed the white layer, then diagonally placed the three strips of tape, banner on top in the middle.  Added a couple rhinestones to the stars for extra bling.

Celebrating Graduation

I made this card earlier for a Clean and Simple challenge on Splitcoaststampers and didn't have an opportunity to post it here so I thought I would share tonight:

Stamps: Celebrate Today
Ink: Night of Navy, Elegant Eggplant
Paper: Whisper White, Elegant Eggplant, Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack
Accessories: Balloon Framelits, Banner Framelits, Bitty Banner Framelits, Gold Sequin Trim, Chipboard

I cut out a banner from a piece of White cardstock, used it as a frame to showcase the gold dsp behind that layer.  The Balloon is cut from chipboard and again in Elegant Eggplant.  Stamped the sentiment onto the Eggplant piece first before cutting out with Night of Navy.  Adhered the two pieces together to make a thick accent on this card.  Stamped the sentiment onto white with Elegant Eggplant, cutting with the Bitty Banner Framelits.  Adhered the bow accent to the balloon along with the graduation banner.  Adhered a folded over piece of the sequin trim behind the balloon before adhering to the base.

Flowering Cottage Wildflower Fields

Using the Flowering Fields stamps and Wildflower Fields DSP from this year's Saleabration.  Plus the DSP contains many of the in colors that will be retiring, so I had to use some of these colors up!

Stamps: Cottage Greetings, Flowering Fields
Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive, Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon, Calypso Coral
Paper: Wildflower Fields DSP, Basic Black, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White
Accessories: In Color 14-16 Buttons, In Color Thick Bakers Twine, Lots of Labels Framelits, Washi Label Punch, Blender Pen, Rhinestones

Images stamped then colored with ink and blender pens and markers. The lists of products used are otherwise pretty self explanatory.  Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Wild About In Color Retirement and Adventures

A couple cards using the Wild About Flowers set and showcasing a few In Colors that are retiring in less than two months!

Stamps: Wild About Flowers
Ink: Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Lost Lagoon, Very Vanilla, Whisper White
Accessories: Hello Honey Thick Twine, Lost Lagoon Silky Taffeta, Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Clear Wink of Stella

Top Card is a simple card to put together, the set being clear photopolymer. Stamp the Stems in Mossy Meadow, the blooms in Hello Honey, onto Very Vanilla CS.  Sentiment in Mossy Meadow.  Added the thick twine.

Second card in Lost Lagoon a little more of a process.  Stamped the stems in Mossy Meadow, blooms in Lost Lagoon, onto Whisper White.  Added Wink of Stella to the blooms.  Layered with a textured Honeycomb Embossing Folder layer, as well as some taffeta.

Simple yet lovely!

Inspired Vintage Owl

Some days I even impress myself in my creations.  Today I was inspired by this adorable owl I had seen at a craft store:

Well, I had to change it slightly as I didn't really have any paper that was close to this, so I picked one I really liked and went with it.

Here is my card:

Stamps: None
Ink: Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral
Paper: Retired Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper (the name escapes me), Whisper White, Pool Party, Soft Suede
Accessories: Oval Framelits, Festive Flower Builder Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Calypso Coral Ruffle Trim, Sponges

I had to sit down and just start piecing.  I started with Oval Framelits, using the largest two regular ovals in the set to cut the body and the belly.  I cut another largest oval and cut the edges off to use as wings.

The feet are 3/4" circle punches, which I sponged with Daffodil Delight and then Calypso Coral, using a marker to draw the toes.  I used snips to trim off a slightly flat edge on the bottom of each foot.

The beak is the smallest (double petal) piece in the Festive Flower Builder punch, trimming off at an angle to create a triangular shape on one end (that will go between the eyes). Sponged again as I did with the feet, using Daffodil Delight then Calypso Coral.  Used a Soft Suede marker to create tiny beak holes.

The Eyes are the 1 3/8" circle punch, the 1" circle punch, and the 1/2" Circle Punch.

The "ears" are using the largest petal in the Festive Flower Builder Punch, cutting two pieces, adhered together at an angle.

I used a sponge to sponge around the edges of all the pieces except the beak and feet, using Soft Suede.

Then glue it all together!  Dimensionals raise it up off the card base.  I used a bit of Calypso Coral trim as a resting place for the owl.

Blackberry Mother's Day

I had a piece of this kraft cardstock on my table so I thought I would make something elegant with it, using this lovely First Sight stamp set and one of my favorite colors, Blackberry Bliss!

Stamps: First Sight
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Paper: Kraft Cardstock, Blackberry Bliss, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Banner Framelits, Deco Label Framelits, Sweetheart Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Heart Confetti Punch, Beautifully Baroque Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

Stamped the flourish image all over the Kraft Layer (6x6) with Blackberry Bliss.  Be careful with this paper, my ink smudged and does not dry quickly.  Stamped the flourish hearts and sentiment with Blackberry onto Vanilla.  Used the punches and dies to cut out the shapes, embossed the banner.  

CAS Rainy Thank You

This is my submission for this week's Clean and Simple (CAS) challenge, using a rain or water element on a CAS card.

Can I say I'm addicted to this new Thick White?  We got this nearly a year ago, but I just used it for the first time a week ago, and it's wonderful!

I was just yesterday thinking I needed to use this stamp set, and when this challenge came out it was perfect!

Stamps: Sprinkles of Life, Me = Grateful
Ink: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Pool Party
Paper: Whisper White
Accessories: Tree Builder Punch, Silver Cord, Basic Rhinestones, Clear Wink of Stella, Blender Pen, Dimensionals

Stamped the clouds, one in Smoky Slate on the card base, one in Basic Gray on a scrap, which I punched out.  Used a blender pen with smoky slate for the cloud shading.

Stamped the rain drops in Pool Party, then used a Pool Party Marker to color them in, using Clear Wink of Stella over top for the wet shimmer! (it looks so cool in person!)

Used a marker on the thank you part of the sentiment stamp to stamp, punched out with the cloud.  Used Smoky Slate marker around the edge to make the shape stand out.

Added the silver cord as it needed a little something, and a few rhinestones.

I have a hard time getting white to really show it's true appearance, so I'm playing with the pro features on my phone camera to make the white a bit brighter.  It's not completely true colors but it's a lot closer at least!

Colorful Congrats!

The only way to really completely this look well is using the awesome MISTI.  Not having to move your stamp means you can ink and stamp a portion, clean the stamp, ink again, stamp again, and get this overlapped color effect!  They have special ink pads for this style, but no need with MISTI!  Love this stamp, and look I even have sequins to match!

Stamps: Bravo
Ink: Real Red, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry
Paper: Whisper White (regular for the stamped layer, thick for the base)
Accessories: MISTI, Brights Sequins, Metallic Sequins, Fine Tip Glue Pen

Positioned stamp, and started by inking one end in Real Red.  I stamped, cleaned off the image on the MISTI, then inked the middle in Daffodil Delight, making sure to overlap the Real Red Slightly.  Cleaned again, inked the other end in Pacific Point, overlapping colors again.  I decided to ink the very end by the red again in Rich Razzleberry for one extra hue.  Adhered sequins, and stamped layer to card base.  Love the effect!

Clean and Simple Smiling Heart

I haven't made anything for a few days, and I was missing it so I wanted to at least make a really quick card before bed!  I love black and white, and I really love all the gold that is popular right now.  I think it looks beautiful in decor and in card making!

Stamps: Timeless Love
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Whisper White, Everyday Chic Designer Series Paper
Accessories: Gold Glitter Tape, Banner Framelits, Metallic Sequins, Decorative Label Punch

The card base is Whisper White Thick Cardstock (I love it, it's so nice to have a solid card stock in white now!  Maybe next we get Vanilla??).  I apologize for the lighting making my card look less than white, I promise it's very white indeed.

Anyways, took a few pieces of glitter tape (I love how easily it just tears off) and layered it onto the card base.  Put a cut banner over top and adhered the stamped sentiment which was punched out.  Glued a couple sequins, and ta-da!  A fast and fabulous card!  This set has a gorgeous font.  Love!  Goodnight all!

Mint Curry Cake Party

A fun and masculine birthday card using this great set!

Stamps: Party With Cake
Ink: Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Mint Macaron
Paper: It's My Party DSP, Whisper White, Basic Black, Mint Macaron
Accessories: Deco Label Framelits, Circle Framelits, Metallic Sequins, Dimensionals.

Background is a piece of Whisper White cardstock stamped in black with the various images.  The Layering behind the top label is a circle cut from Basic Black.  Just used some paper snips to trim around the small Mint Macaron sentiment banners.

World's Greatest Bear

First of all, this bear is from Christy who created the design.  I changed some minor details as this card is going to be for a father's day class.  Here is her blog post: Just Hanging Around

TOO cute!  There are some super creative people out there!

Here is my version:

Stamps; Guy Greetings
Ink: Hello Honey, Soft Suede
Paper: Hello Honey, Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Suede
Accessories: Bow Paper Clips, Sponges, Dimensionals, Woodgrain Embossing Folder, Punches: 2" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, 1" Circle, 3/4" Circle, 1/2" Circle, Owl Builder Punch, Cupcake Builder Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Punches

Here are some further details on creating the bear:

-Head: 2" circle for base, the ears are the 3/4" and 1/2" Circle Punches.  The Nose is the 1" Circle punch with the heart from Itty Bitty Accents.  The eyes are the two largest circles from the Owl Builder Punch.
-Front Paws: 1" Circle Punch
-"Foot" Paws: 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Heart from Itty Bitty Accents, the small circles from the Cupcake Builders punch.

The Bowtie paper clip added an adorable little accent!

Thanks again Christy for your inspiration!

Fab Friday 84 Challenge

This is for the Fab Friday 84 challenge:

You can find the link to the challenge here: Fab Friday 84

Here is my project, which incidentally is going to be the first project for my upcoming card class event this month!

Stamps: Helping Me Grow, Watercolor Wash
Ink: Pool Party, Calypso Coral
Paper: Pool Party, Whisper White, So Saffron, Calypso Coral
Accessories: Watercolor Wishes Kit (sequins), Rose Garden Thinlits, Brayer, MISTI, Fine-Tip Glue Pen, Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Started by stamping the Watercolor Wash image onto Whisper White in Pool Party ink.  I struggle using this image because the foam ink pads don't ink well without leaving ghost images.  So for the first time I used advice I have been given, which is to use the brayer tool to evenly ink your background stamps.  I inked up the image directly, and then I got some ink on the brayer and ran it all over the stamp image before stamping onto the paper.  WOW what a difference this made!

Cut out the smaller rose in the die set twice, one in So Saffron, the other in Calypso Coral.  Save the inside pieces to fill in after.  Adhere the image that will go behind first, making sure to fill in the spaced with your die cut pieces.  Don't do what I did, which is adhere the roses first then try to go back and fill it in.  After you finish the behind image, adhere the second and fill in the pieces again.  The Fine-Tip Glue Pen is such a Godsend!  it makes adhering these tiny pieces so much easier and less messy!

Stamped the sentiment in Calypso Coral first, then the frame before cutting out with the frame die.  Adhered with dimensionals.  I added a couple sequins to the background, the pieces from the Watercolor Wishes kit are a perfect match for this card!