Birth Announcement and Baby Card

I received this birth announcement in the mail last week. One of my Club Members had a baby boy on December 6th! The announcement was made with all SU! products, and it does my heart good to see my ladies using their goodies! The base card is Chocolate Chip and stamped with little stars and moons in matching ink (you can't see the tone on tone stamping in this photo). Then there's a Wild Wasabi strip that is also stamped tone on tone. Next is Soft Sky matting the Apricot Appeal piece with the facts about Calvin Joshua. The "introduction" is stamped with Black Stazon. A 1" circle punch was used to make the soft sky tab at the top and Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon is knotted and adhered to that. The giraffe was stamped, colored with markers, cut out, and adhered with dimensionals. Finally, the giraffe was also stamped on the envelope and colored with markers.

• Stamps: Bundle of Joy
• Papers: Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Apricot Appeal
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi, Stazon Black, SU! Markers: Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip
• Accessories: One Inch Circle Punch, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon

This is the baby card I made to send her. The base card is Almost Amethyst. Next is a layer of Prints Double Sided Designer Paper (DSP) matted on Whisper White and Ticket Corner Punched. Before adhering to the card, I added the white grosgrain ribbon. The scalloped circle was cut out of glossy photo paper on my Cricut machine. The "Zoofari" rhino was stamped with white craft ink on more DSP with smaller polka dots. I went over the eye, horn, teeth, and tail with a white gel pen and outlined the horn and tail with purple gel pen. I used 1/8" white satin ribbon to make the little bow at the rhino's neck. The scalloped piece with the rhino was popped up on dimensionals. The sentiment from "Short and Sweet" says, "Welcome Baby" and was stamped with Almost Amethyst ink on Whisper White. Then, it was punched out with the Small Oval Punch. A piece of the Amethyst card stock was punched with the Large Oval Punch, and the two pieces were adhered together with the ends punched with a 1/16" punch for the white button brads. The sentiment panel was also popped up on dimensionals.

• Stamps: Zoofari, Short and Sweet
• Papers: Almost Amethyst, Whisper White, Prints DSP, Glossy Photo Paper
• Ink: WW Craft, Almost Amethyst, White and Purple Gel Pens
• Accessories: Cricut, Ticket Corner Punch, Small and Large Oval Punches, Button Brads, 1/8" white satin ribbon, 3/8" white grosgrain ribbon

Wish Big (FS47)

The Sunday Featured Stamper Challenge featured Danielle (aka dlounds). Danielle's gallery on SCS isn't huge, but every card in it is exquisite. She does a lot of paper piercing and puts a lot of time into every card. Here are the changes that I made:

I used different stamp sets, hardware, and ribbon.
I changed the rectangles to ovals and the oval sentiment piece to rectangles.
I used Whisper White instead of Chocolate Chip.
I eliminated one layer, and I sponged the main image panel.



Here's Danielle's card ----------------->

• Stamps: Treat Yourself, Short and Sweet
• Papers: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Rose Red
• Ink: Black Stazon, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Markers: Regal Rose, Rose Red, So Saffron
• Accessories: Coluzzle, Ticket Corner Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, 1/16" Punch, Mat Pack, Piercer, White Grosgrain Ribbon, Pink Organdy Ribbon, Silver Glitter Glue

1st Thursday Club January Projects

I have a new 1st Thursday Club which meets for the first time on January 3rd. Project #1 for this club will be our non-card item. We will make this little 3 X 3 tea bag holder. I used Wild Wasabi textured card stock and Very Vanilla for the sentiment strip. I used the Three-for-you Punch Box dot for all the polka dots and also for the punched flower. After punching the flower from Purely Pomegranate, I embossed it and added the gold brad. I attached it to the Wasabi ribbon and then stapled the ribbon to the card. I added an additional strip of card stock on the inside to hold the tea bag. It makes a cute little gift card for January when it's so cold out!

Project #2 will be this card using the new "Embrace Life" set. This has a Whisper White base card with Rose Prints Double Sided Designer paper. The main image is stamped with Black Stazon on white and then water colored using Water Color Wonder Crayons and an Aquapainter. The panel is matted on Regal Rose and three layers are Ticket Corner punched. The sentiment is stamped with Rose Red on white and punched out using the Large Oval punch. Before adhering to the base card, white, knotted grosgrain ribbon is added.

Project #3 is also for Sharon's (notimetostamp) challenge (ssnotime15) which is to use our "New Toys" that we got for Christmas. My oldest daughter drew my name for our gift exchange (We have a large family). She contacted an SU! demo in California and bought me the Coluzzle set and "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set. I used both for my sample cards. I cut a sheet of card stock into four pieces and used my Coluzzle to cut ovals from each piece. That way, four of my ladies will be able to do the masking/sponging at the same time. I sponged one with Always Artichoke and stamped the tree with the same ink. I used the sentiment from "Short and Sweet". The other card is sponged with More Mustard and the tree is stamped with Chocolate Chip. I also used golden rod satin ribbon and did the Japanese Stab Binding technique on the side. I think we will make the cards in green and do the stab binding in green also, or it may be optional. I've made cards with this set before, but I had borrowed the set from a friend.

Elegant Quote (IC108)

This cocktail dress was the inspiration piece for this week's Inspiration Challenge. Elegant Eggplant is a very deep purple and always shows up almost black in photos. That's what color the darker panel is. The base card is Very Vanilla with the Ticket Corner punched Eggplant piece which is embossed with gold embossing powder using the flourish from "Doodle This". The quote Proust says, "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy - they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." It's from "Sidekick Sayings" and is embossed in gold on Vanilla. I matted that piece on Basic Black and almost used a gold gel pen around the edges, but I decided it would be too much gold. I popped up the main panel on dimensionals and added gold metallic ribbon to finish it off.

Elephant Friend (LSC148, WT146)

I usually don't combine challenges, but I seem to have caught a bug and haven't gotten much done the last couple of days. The Ways to Use It challenge on Thursday was to use Stazon ink, and the Limited Supplies challenge was to follow a list. Here's the list:

Stamps: one stamped image that can be colored

optional: sentiment

optional: an image to ground the main image like an oval, grass, etc.

Paper: any shade of white

2-3 patterns of designer paper

NO other colored card stock

Tools: NO specialty tools (No punches, No CB, No Piercer, etc) any coloring tools, sponges OK

Embellishments: one piece of ribbon

Dimensionals are an adhesive!

I used black Stazon to stamp the main image; then I used Water Color Wonder Crayons and my Aquapainter to water color the pink Ellie with red toe nails. I used gel pens to doodle the border. The base card is Whisper White. The red designer paper is from My Mind's Eye Magnolia Collection and the heart designer paper is from my stash of ten year old papers. I also used white grosgrain ribbon for the embellishment. I think I followed the list AND used Stazon, so that's my challenge combo!

TWISTER! (SBSC120)

Last weekend, my daughter had some friends over, and they played Twister, drank sodas, ate popcorn, and even took some photos with my camera. I took most of the photos, but then I asked them to take some. One of the boys took lots including the larger photo here of my daughter making a silly face and giving the "peace" sign. The background card stock is from a scrapbooking kit I got for Christmas (A photo of the kit is in a previous post.) The other card stock is Real Red, Yoyo Yellow, Tempting Turquoise, and Glorious Green. I used a 1" circle punch for the circles and my Cricut Mini Monograms cartridge for the title.

Page 2 is with the same sketch, except that I moved the pieces around so that I could use the yellow rectangle for a journaling block. I used a black SU! journaling marker for all the journaling. This page features my daughter's best friend, Sam (Samantha), and more photos of the kids getting all tangled up. I think they all had a great time! I had fun taking many of these photos and then scrapbooking these two pages!

Masculine Birthday (SC156)

This week's Sketch Challenge was to just use this big circle on a card. We were not supposed to add ANY other panels. This was a tough one for me since I don't have a Coluzzle Cutting System (yet). Now, my oldest daughter drew my name and I drew hers for the Christmas gift exchange. If I don't get a Coluzzle set, I will buy one in my next Stampin' Up! order. That being said, I used a compass to draw my circle and cut it out by hand. I adhered the Very Vanilla circle to Basic Black and trimmed around, leaving a narrow border. I distressed the edges of both circles which hides any cutting mistakes. The Vanilla circle was sponged with Always Artichoke and Chocolate Chip, and the deer was stamped with Chocolate Chip as well. I also stamped the Artichoke base card with the Linen background stamp in Chocolate Chip and the sentiment was stamped with the same ink.

• Stamps: Noble Deer, Linen, Sincere Salutations
• Papers: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Basic Black
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
• Accessories: Compass, Snips, Sponge

MERRY CHRISTMAS! (CC146)

It's Christmas Day and look what colors we get for the Color Challenge! Even though these seem to be Christmas card colors, I tried to stay away from making another Christmas card. I just don't need any! The base card is Glorious Green, the scalloped strip and flowers are Real Red, and the crimped strip is Green Galore. You can't see very well in this photo, but I used a Cuttlebug mini embossing folder to emboss "Hello." I used red satin ribbon and a pig-nose punch to create the little "knot" and Dazzling Diamonds glitter to add some sparkle to the flowers. The red flowers against the Green Galore crimped piece really pop!

• Stamps: Embrace Life
• Papers: Glorious Green, Real Red, and Green Galore CS
• Ink: Stazon Black, Bright green glitter gel pen
• Accessories: Snips, Embossing stylus (for flowers), Dazzling Diamonds, Scallop scissors, Crimper, Pig-nose punch, Red satin ribbon, Cuttlebug "Just a Note" Mini Embossing Folder

Lovely Evergreen (ssnotime14)

Sharon (aka notimetostamp) had a Friday Challenge. It was to decide on a stamp set we wanted to use, go to the gallery on SCS, find a card we liked, and CASE it, simplifying it a bit. I found this card by imastampin ----->

I eliminated one layer by making the Cuttlebugged piece card front size. I also eliminated the "Merry Christmas" sentiment and the ribbon. I added Ticket Corner Punched corners on all three of my layers. I created a computer generated sentiment on the inside, printing four per page of card stock and printing in green. It says:

At a time of the year when the leaves of other types of trees have browned and fallen off, evergreens keep their fresh, green look. They are a symbol for Life. Wishing you an avundant Life... Happy New Year!!!

• Stamps: Lovely As A Tree
• Papers: Handsome Hunter, Whisper White
• Ink: Versamark, Green printer ink (inside)
• Accessories: Green EP, CB Snowflakes EF, Ticket Corner Punch, Computer/Printer

Christmas Fudge

I CASEd this idea from Vicky Gould on Splitcoaststampers. She made one of these for the Ways to Use It Challenge this week. She said it had been around SCS for a couple of years, but, since I've only really participated on the site since last February, it was new to me! It's a cute idea. Here's the poem on the back:

Dashing through the malls
With groceries yet to buy.
Laundry, work and cleaning,
Life's so crazy! Why?

Bells on telephones ring,
The machine will take the call.
We have not time for anyone,
It drives us up the wall.

A day or two ago
We thought we'd make a treat,
For all our special friends,
A Christmas gift to eat.

Our intentions were top notch.
But our schedules would not budge.
So here's this years' edition
of homemade CHRISTMAS FUDGE!

Inside is a Hershey bar!!! A 6 X 6 piece of Dashing double sided designer paper covers each candy bar. I tied curly ribbon on the candy bar lengthwise so that it can be used as a pull string. Real Red card stock was punched with the scallop circle punch, the sentiment from "Short and Sweet" was stamped on Very Vanilla with Real Red ink and punched with the small oval punch; these pieces were glued together and adhered to the wrapper. The one inch circle punch was used at the top to show where to pull. I gave these to our four pastors at church today and to a good friend and neighbor. These are so easy but a lot of fun!!!

Love Mouse (FS46)

The Featured Stamper this week was Chrissy (#1artist4highhopes). What a talented stamper! She uses almost exclusively High Hopes stamps while I use Stampin' Up! products. One of the great things about this challenge is that you must change at least two things from the original card. The card I chose to CASE (Copy And Show Elsewhere) is shown at right.

I changed the main image, colors, and patterned paper. I kept the original layout and design, including embellishments. I don't usually use my sewing machine on cards since I'm not that good at it, but I did it on this card for Chrissy!

• Stamps: Happy Heart Day, Short & Sweet
• Papers: Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink, Whisper White, unknown (10 yr. old) designer paper
• Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink, SU! markers (Pretty in Pink, Going Grey, Pixie Pink)
• Accessories: Sewing Machine, 3-4-U punch, embossing stylus (for flower), White gel pen, Pink glitter gel pen, button, brads, sponge

Song Bird (IC107)

The Inspiration Challenge for this week gave us "Sticky Notes" from Target by which to be inspired. (See photo at right)

I was inspired by the bright colors as well as the bird on the inspiration piece. While most people had circles on their cards, I gave mine some "roundness" by using a corner rounder punch.

I already had the image from "Garden Collage" (retired) stamped and water colored. I used Tempting Turquoise and Only Orange markers to re-color the bird and flowers. I matted the main image panel on Only Orange and rounded only two corners. I adhered that to a stripe of "Bali Breeze" double sided designer paper (New for 2008). I added orange satin ribbon to the DSP strip and stamped the sentiment from "Embrace Life" (Also new for 2008) with Tempting Turquoise ink.

• Stamps: Garden Collage, Embrace Life
• Papers: Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange, Whisper White, Bali Breeze DSP
• Ink: Stazon Black, Tempting Turquoise, SU! markers (Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange)
• Accessories: Corner Rounder Punch, Ribbon

Gift Set Cards (#7, 8, 9, & 10)

Card #7 of this gift set is a horizontal pocket card. I used Old Olive card stock and Olive Prints Double Sided Designer Paper. The pull-out part is Very Vanilla with Olive Prints on the part that shows. The tab was punched with the Round Tab Punch out of Certainly Celery and then stamped with the tiny flower from "Time Well Spent." Before adhering the folded flap down, I added olive satin ribbon, layered Prima flowers, and added a gold brad in the flower center. I really like these cards for sharing recipes! This one says "Best Wishes" on the pull-out and is intended to be a birthday card.

Card #8 is a feminine birthday card. I used Pretty in Pink for the base card and matting and Whisper White for the main image panel and the Cuttlebug background. I used the Cuttlebug Birthday embossing folder and rounded all four corners on the card and embossed layer. I stamped the cake from "Fun & Fast Notes" on white with Pretty in Pink and added Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the heart-shaped flames of the candles. I only rounded two corners on this panel. I added Pretty in Pink Grosgrain Ribbon and lined the inside with white. I also lined the white envelop with pink copy paper.

Card #9 is the one I have received the most comments on at SCS. In fact, it was mentioned in this week's Favorites Forum! I meant this one to be a masculine birthday card. I did a lot of sponging to create the sunset, but first, I stamped the trees on Very Vanilla with Stazon Black, then I sponged on So Saffron, Summer Sun, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, and Rose Red for the sky, and I used Certainly Celery, Old Olive and Creamy Caramel for the grass. I also used Old Olive for the sentiment. The base card is Always Artichoke with a Summer Sun mat behind the main panel. I stamped the sentiment on Very Vanilla and punched it out with the Word Window Punch. I lined the card with white card stock. This card was inspired by my own Color Challenge card from about a week ago.

The last card in this gift set is a child's birthday card. I had already water colored the bear, wagon, and present from "Favorite Teddy Bear." The bear was the only one that wasn't yet cut out! The base card is Bashful Blue with Cutie Pie DSP on top. The corners of the designer paper are ticket corner punched. After I cut out the bear, I adhered the three pieces to the front of the card. I stamped the sentiment with Bashful Blue on Whisper White. I punched the sentiment with the small oval punch and the mat with the large oval punch. After adhering the white to the blue, I added white button brads and popped of the sentiment panel on dimensionals. I lined the inside of the card with white card stock, and I lined the white envelope with the same DSP as is on the card. That's all ten cards!!!

Gift Set Cards (#4, 5, and 6)

Card #4 of my gift set was intended to be a masculine Thank You card. I used Sage Shadow for the base card. I stamped the image from "Lovely as a Tree" with Sage Shadow on Whisper White. I used markers (Sage Shadow, Mellow Moss, Certainly Celery, Creamy Caramel, and Close to Cocoa) to color the tree. I sponged the main image panel and adhered it to a Sage piece which I distressed, then that was adhered to another white piece and adhered to the card. I used a Cuttlebug "Thank You" Mini embossing folder to emboss the sentiment. I finished it off by paper piercing and then adding a white piece to the inside of the card.

Card #5 is another Thank You card. This one is done in Bashful Blue and Whisper White. I stamped the image from "Fun & Fast Notes" with Stazon Black and then colored it with markers (Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery). I added a Rhinestone Brad in the center of the flower. The main image panel was matted on Bashful Blue and then a Whisper White piece that was punched with the Square Step Corner Punch (retired). I used another Cuttlebug Mini embossing folder to emboss the sentiment, and I add the Bashful Blue ribbon. I lined the inside with white.

Card #6 is yet another Thank You card. The Whisper White base card is embossed with a Cuttlebug Mini embossing folder. The flower and leaves from "Wild Rose" are stamped on Whisper White with Purely Pomegranate and Wild Wasabi. The flower is a "2-Step Stamping" one. I inked the first stamp and stamped off once before stamping the first step. The second step was inked and stamped over the first step with the same color. I cut out the flower and leaves and adhered them to the card. I added the 15/16" Pomegranate ribbon and bow which I think is the best part of the whole thing! I finished of by lining the inside of the card with more Whisper White to hide the ribbon ends and reinforce the card.

Gift Set Cards (#1, 2, and 3)

I made a gift card set of ten cards; some were Thank You, some were Birthday, and a couple were any occasion cards. This one was an any occasion card. I stamped the image lightly and then went over it with a gold gel pen. I also used the gold gel pen one the matting.

Stamps: Embrace Life
Papers: Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla (with gold gel pen)
Ink: Gold pigment ink, Gold gel pen
Accessories: CB Textiles EF

The second card in the set was made with no stamps. I just used the MatStack and Martha Stewart ribbon from my Elf and Primas and brad from my secret sister along with Perfect Plum and Whisper White card stock to make this card.

• Papers: Perfect Plum, DCWV MatStack CS, WW (inside)


• Accessories: Primas, Brad, Martha Stewart ribbon

The third card is a Thank You card and is very simple. The Whisper White card was embossed with Cuttlebug Formal Squares Mini Embossing Folder three times. I used ribbon from my new gift set my secret sister gave me for Christmas. Everything in the set is by Portfolia. I stamped the sentiment from Sincere Salutations with Purely Pomegranate. I lined the inside of the envelope with purple copy paper. I also lined the inside of the card with more white card stock to cover the ribbon ends and stiffen the card a bit. I made ten cards for this gift, so I will post the others later.

Sisters

The Ways to Use It Challenge for this week was to use gift wrapping supplies in any way you want. I decided to make a scrapbook page. I used Christmas wrapping paper as the background for this photo of two of my granddaughters. For the title, I used my Cricut with the George and Basic Shapes cartridge. The letters are Glorious Green adhered to Real Red. I used the same card stock for the little Christmas trees in the photo corners. The set I used was "Fun and Fast Notes." I stamped with Versamark and embossed with gold embossing powder mixed with Dazzling Diamonds. There's lots of sparkle in real life! I used my SU! small star punch to punch out the stars from more scraps of the same wrapping paper. I stamped the "All Spruced Up" sentiment from from the same stamp set directly on the photo in Real Red ink.

• Stamps: Fun and Fast Notes
• Paper: Glorious Green, Real Red, Wrapping paper, Portfolia CS for BG
• Ink: Real Red, Versamark
• Accessories: Circut George & Basic Shapes cartridge, Snips, Gold EP mixed with DD, Small Star Punch

Get Well Card (SC155)

The sketch challenge for this week was very interesting with the five circles. Figuring out the spacing was the only difficult part. I used two circle punches that were only 1/16" difference, so the mat is narrow. I used Prima flowers from the gift set I got from my Secret Sister and layered a punched flower over that. In the centers, I used brads from the same gift set. The background is Rose Prints Double Sided Designer Paper. The sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations". This card goes to a lady who was MY secret sister that I sent cards to all year. She had a heart attack last Sunday night, but she's on the mend now.

• Stamps: Sincere Salutations
• Papers: Whisper White, Rose Red, Old Olive, DP from My Mind's Eye (light green), Rose Prints DSP from SU!
• Ink: Rose Red
• Accessories: Marvy 1-7/16" Circle Punch, SU! 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Spring Bouquet Flower Punch, Brads, Prima Flowers
  

I Goofed! (CC145)

The color challenge this week was to use Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, and Elegant Eggplant. I had some trouble deciding what to do with that, but this is what I came up with. I used a Wasabi base card, Cuttlebugged the Eggplant piece, and matted that on Summer Sun (by mistake). I used the Ticket Corner Punch on the Eggplant and Summer Sun pieces. I stamped the flower from "Infinite Goodness" Level 2 hostess set (new) on Summer Sun, and the leaves from the same set on Wild Wasabi and cut them out. I adhered the flowers and the leaves to the Cuttlebugged Eggplant piece. I used Sticky Strip in the flower centers and added micro beads. It never shows up much in photos though!

• Stamps: Infinite Goodness (New Level 2 Hostess set)
• Papers: Wild Wasabi, Summer Sun, Elegant Eggplant
• Ink: Stazon Black
• Accessories: Snips, Ticket Corner Punch, Sticky Strip, Micro Beads

Asian Look

The Demonstrators' Challenge for Monday was to break out the pre-ordered stamp sets or hostess sets. I've already seen one other card in the gallery using the "Embrace Life" set for this challenge. I think we'll be seeing a lot of this one! My daughter-in-law is Chinese, so I send her and my son a card for Chinese New Year every year. I try to include the little red envelopes with "Lucky Money" for the kids (Lai See). This year, Chinese New Year begins on February 7, 2008. I think they are celebrating the year 4706. This card is very simple. The base card and image panel are Real Red. The image panel is matted on Basic Black. The corners are Ticket Corner Punched. I stamped the image as well as the sentiment with Versamark and heat embossed with gold embossing powder. I think this particular stamp in the "Embrace Life" set definitely has an Asian look!

Secret Sis Christmas Gift

This is what my secret sister at my church gave me for Christmas! She knows I love scrapbooking and other paper crafts. In December we reveal who our secret sisters are. I was surprised. Now, she's moving away. I'm really saddened by that. I will keep her and her family in my prayers. I love them and will miss them terribly! Now, let me describe what's in this gift set!!! There's two scrapbooks: one is 12 X 12 and the other is 8 X 8, and they're both suede. There's a stack of super huge prima flowers and a tube of the smaller ones, too. There's an assortment of ribbons, and there's some really pretty tapes with dispensers. There's cloth labels, embossed metal frames, a burgundy stamp pad, jumbo and epoxy brads. There's buttons, fancy brads, photo corners, windows, and fancy fibers. There's chipboard square labels and large green alphabets. There's also a chipboard frame and photo corners. There's more chipboard titles and embellishments. There's a complete alphabet stamp set and several little containers of eyelets! Finally, there's 36 sheets of colored card stock! Isn't that awesome!!! She knows me so well!!! Thanks Debby!!!!

Lisa's Bunches (FS45)

The Featured Stamper Challenge is always fun. I get to go into someone's gallery and choose a card to CASE (Copy And Show Elsewhere). Lisa's (aka lzappa) gallery was so extensive and full of beautiful cards. I had a hard time choosing! I chose a card that she made quite a while back using a stamp set that is now retired and is in my "For Sale" pile. When you participate in the Featured Stamper Challenge, you must change at least two things. Lisa used stamps that looked like ribbons. Since I don't have those stamps, I used real ribbons. In fact, I don't have dotted Swiss ribbon, so I used organdy ribbon and dotted it with my white gel pen. I also didn't have the white flower or snap, so I used an orange Prima with a Pretty in Pink punched flower and an orange brad. I used the same colors as Lisa did; I like pink and orange!

Lisa's original card is shown at right.

• Stamps: Love Ya Bunches (retired)
• Paper: Pretty in Pink, Only Orange, Whisper White
• Ink: Basic Black, SU! Markers (Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Regal Rose)
• Accessories: Organdy ribbon, White Gel Pen, Pink Gingham ribbon, Prima flower, Spring Bouquet Flower Punch, Orange brad

Peacock and Paisley (IC106)

This is the dinnerware that was used as the inspiration piece for this week's Inspiration Challenge. I was inspired by the small plate and the peacocks (salt and pepper shakers maybe?).



I have an online friend who sent me an "Elf Pack". (That's another story!) In my Elf Pack was a MatStack by DCWV called "Pocket Full Of Posies". It is patterned card stock in different colors and patterns. Almost all of it had glittery sparkles. I remembered that there was some card stock in the MatStack with paisleys on it. It was also orange! I have a few large white cards with envelopes that were given to me a couple of years ago. I trimmed the patterned card stock to fit the base card. I wanted to include the peacock but didn't have a stamp for that, so I found a clip art one. I printed it on white card stock and punched it out with the scallop circle punch. I adhered that piece to Rose Red card stock and trimmed with snips around the scallops for a mat. (Anyone want to buy me some Nestabilities for Christmas? LOL!) There's already glitter on most of the flowers, and I added Dazzling Diamonds to all the spots on the peacock's tail. I popped up the peacock piece on dimensionals. I finished off the card with Martha Stewart ribbon that was also in my Elf Pack, and I included a round charm that says, "Thank You."

• Paper: DCWV MatStack, Whisper White, Rose Red
• Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Snips, Computer and Printer, Martha Stewart Ribbon, Round "Thank You" charm

Celebrate! (LSC146, ssnotime13)

This is another card for the Limited Supplies Challenge, to make a white based card and Sharon's challenge to make a one-layer card. This is a "Happy New Year" card. Someone said I was way ahead with making Valentine cards so soon! LOL! This one is a Whisper White base card with lots of silver embossing. I punched the star using SU!'s small star punch and then embossed it twice with silver embossing powder. I used a Background Basics stamp for the small stars, embossing them as well. I used All Year Cheer II for the "Celebrate" and embossed that too! I found some fancy wire ribbon from last Christmas, trimmed off the wire edge, wrapped it around my embossing stylus, and used it as a trail for my "shooting star".

• Stamps: All Year Cheer II, Background Basics
• Paper: Whisper White
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Silver EP, Small star punch, wire ribbon

Haircut Day (SBSC119)

Friday's sketch challenge was a two page layout. This is the left page. My son was long overdue for a haircut, and we decided to save some money by buying the electric clippers, scissors, etc. that came in a haircutting kit. I took photos of the "before and after". The small photo in the center is actually his reflection in the mirror from the upper right photo. He looks much happier in the "After" pics! The papers are from My Mind's Eye Magnolia Collection and the stars were punched with SU!'s large and small star punches.

The right side page was done with the same papers and stars. The title was done with Cricut's "All Mixed Up" cartridge. I hand wrote the journaling on the journaling block.

Homework

This page was inspired by a page that I saw on SCS where the lady had a conversation with her granddaughter and scrapped it with photos and wrote out the conversation. I usually do all my journaling in my own handwriting, but I typed the conversation for this. My daughter likes to do her homework while I do my card making and scrapbooking. We were talking about her English assignment and I took a few pics. She said I should have let her do her hair and makeup, but I wanted to preserve the memory just as it was. The papers are from My Mind's Eye Magnolia Collection. In fact, the scallop borders came off the packaging from those papers. I thought I might be able to use them, so I cut them off before discarding the rest of the packaging. The stars were punched with SU!'s small star punch, and the title was done with Cricut's "Stamped" cartridge.

Cat n' Mouse (LSC146; ssnotime13)

The Limited Supplies Challenge was to make a white based card. Sharon (aka notimetostamp) has a challenge on her blog to make a one layer card. I combined the two challenges to make this Valentine card. I embossed the Whisper White base card with a Cuttlebug mini embossing folder (Cats), and then used my embossing stylus and paper trimmer to create the frame. The sentiment is from SU!'s Happy Heart Day. I added red satin ribbon. The bow is with the red ribbon and silver cord on which I added the heart charm the says "Love". The only part that took time was embossing the frame.

Great Pair! (WT144, DC029)

There was a demonstrator's challenge on Monday that I just didn't get to. It was to make a Valentine card without using traditional Valentine hearts. It was for the Demonstrable Cards category; however, the Ways to Use It Challenge for Thursday was to make a card using a monochromatic color scheme. I posted this card on SCS to the Infinite Goodness (Level 2 Hostess Set) category. This set will be available to hostesses on January 2, 2008. The pears were stamped with black Stazon on Very Vanilla and then water colored using Water Color Wonder Crayons and the Aquapainter. The Vanilla piece was sponged with Celery and Olive and distressed and matted on Old Olive. The base card is Certainly Celery with a strip of Celery Prints Double Sided Paper. The Hodgepodge Hardware was adhered to the strip, Celery ribbon was pulled through, glued together where it wouldn't show, and wrapped around the end of the strip. Then, the strip was adhered to the base card and the main image panel over that. The sentiment was computer generated. I think this will be my Valentine's Day card for my hubby.

• Stamps: Infinite Goodness (New Level 2 Hostess set)
• Paper: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Celery Prints DSP
• Ink: Stazon Black, Certainly Celery, Old Olive
• Accessories: Computer and printer (sentiment), Hodgepodge Hardware, Celery 5/8" GG Ribbon

Huggies! (SC154)

I received a package from a friend of mine from SCS. She sent me all kinds of goodies to play with including a MatStack of card stock that is about an inch thick with patterned card stock which is about 6" X 8" and EmBELLAshments that look like dew drops. The flowery piece on this card is from the MatStack. I started with a Lavender Lace base card, used Cuttlebug Bloom n' Dots embossing folder on the Pumpkin Pie piece, layered the patterned card stock, and then added the main image panel. I stamped the mouse on Pumpkin Pie and the elephant on Almost Amethyst with Stazon black. I cut them both out and used markers on the mouse's shirt and the heart. I adhered them to the Whisper White piece which was sponged with Pumpkin Pie and paper pierced in one corner. I put the critters together to look like they're hugging. I matted the white panel on Rose Red. I stamped the sentiment on white, punched with the Small Oval Punch, and matted it on a rose piece that had been punched with the Large Oval Punch. Finally, I added three EmBELLAshments in the upper right corner.

• Stamps: Happy Heart Day
• Paper: Lavender Lace, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Whisper White, Patterned CS from Pocket Full of Posies MatStack
• Ink: Stazon Black, Pumpkin Pie, SU! Markers
• Accessories: Cuttlebug Bloom n' Dots EF, Small and Large Oval Punches, EmBELLAshments

Lovely Colors (CC144)

I've been so busy lately that I skipped the Monday challenges this week, and I did the Tuesday color challenge on Wednesday. I had a lot to do to get ready for my Club Workshop. The color challenge was to use Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, and Rose Red. The orange and the red made me think of a sunset. I started with Very Vanilla card stock, stamped the trees with Stazon black, and sponged all three colors, using the orange and red for the sky. I matted the main image panel on the rose and pumpkin, using the Ticket Corner Punch on all three layers. I adhered that to the Celery base card and added the sentiment which was punched out with the Small Oval Punch, matted on a pumpkin piece that was punched with the Large Oval Punch, and gold brads were added. This was a great color challenge!

• Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Garden Silhouettes (sentiment)
• Paper: Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red, Very Vanilla
• Ink: Stazon Black, Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red
• Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Small and Large Oval Punches, Sponge, Gold brads
  

Make A Wish (JAN08VSNMINI11)

On SCS, every three months or so, they have a Virtual Stamp Night (VSN), and there will be one in January. The challenge code indicates JAN08 which is January of 2008. The VSN has already been explained. MINI11 means this is a mini VSN and this is challenge number 11. Mini VSN's are challenges that come about on certain days and submissions must be posted by a certain date. During the actual VSN in January, there will be many challenges for a couple of days and there will be time limits as to when your card can be posted. I've never taken part in a VSN, but I've participated in about four Mini VSN's. There were several challenges for this Mini VSN posted last Wednesday, and we have until this Wednesday to get them uploaded and posted to the thread. This one, #11, was a sketch challenge. That's the easiest for me, so I went for it! The main image on this card was sent to me by one of my friends on SCS. I have no Bella stamps, so she stamped a few images and sent them to me!!! Christine is a very nice person who lives in So. California, and she has sent me things before. I hope to meet her some day!!!

• Stamps: Stamped Bella, Short and Sweet
• Card Stock: Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Basic Black, Whisper White
• Ink: Stazon Black, Lavender Lace
• Accessories: Cuttlebug Bubbles EF, Ticket Corner Punch, Dazzling Diamonds, 2-way glue pen, WCW Crayons, Aquapainter, Dotted Ribbon