Snowflake (FS82, CCC08-August)

This is for the Christmas Card Challenge as well as the Featured Stamper Challenge. I used to get my Christmas cards done right on or before the 1st of the month. In fact, I won prizes a couple of times for being first! Here I am on the last day of the month submitting my card for the monthly challenge. If it weren't for the Featured Stamper Challenge, I wouldn't have gotten it done at all! The lovely wedding card by NiKiE that I CASEd may be found here. I changed the theme from wedding to winter or Christmas, I changed the color from aqua to Baha Breeze, I left off the vellum layer, I changed the ribbon to a silver metalic ribbon, and I changed the embossing folder from the Textile EF to the new Snow Dots EF. I went to NiKiE's blog to see her tutorial on the ribbon treatment. I added Stickles (or Glitter Glue) to the dots on the snowflake. This was an easy card to make!

• Stamps: Snow Swirled
• Paper: Baha Breeze, Whisper White
• Ink: Baha Breeze
• Accessories: CB Snow Dots EF, Sizzix Big Shot Machine, Silver Metallic Ribbon, 1/8" Punch, Silver Glitter Glue, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!

Butterfly Wishes

This was for Wendybell's Butterfly Challenge. We were to use the pocket layout and had to have a butterfly somewhere on the card. The base card here is Whisper White with one edge folded back 1-1/2" to form the flap. The flap was punched with a Martha Stewart border punch. Under the flap is Rose Red Prints Designer Paper (retired). The insert (4" X 5" for the bottom layer) is Going Gray, then Purely Pomegranate (retired), and finally, Whisper White which is stamped with a sentiment from the new "Heard from the Heart" set. The butterflies were punched with the Martha Stewart butterfly punch, sponged with Purely Pomegranate, and the body was drawn with a Rose Red Marker. The "heads" are pink rhinestones. They are adhered to a strip of Purely Pomegranate which is adhered to the flap.

• Stamps: Heard from the Heart
• Papers: Whisper White, Going Gray, Purely Pomegranate, Rose Red Prints DSP
• Ink: Purely Pomegranate; Rose Red Marker
• Accessories: MS border punch and butterfly punch, Pink Rhinestones

Thanks for visiting my blog. I haven't been able to do many challenges lately since we were on vacation, I've been preparing for my Stamp Camp, and I was sick with food poisoning for two days! I'm just starting to get back into the swing of things! My next post will be the projects for next Thursday's Club. Cya!

Happy Fall Y'all Stamp Camp

This month's Stamp Camp is called, "Happy Fall Y'all", because it's mainly a fall theme. Labor Day weekend might seem a bit early for fall cards, but my stamp camps for September, October, and November, plus my World Card Making Day Event are going to be all Christmas cards.
Project #1 is the simplest card of them all. I just love that bear, and the sentiment seems to fit since he sort of looks like he's doing the Hokey Pokey! The bear from "Under the Stars" is stamped directly on Naturals White, and his head is stamped again, cut out, and popped up on a Dimensional. I used the fine tip of the Close to Cocoa Marker to add the "hair." The sentiment from "Smarty Pants" is matted on Yoyo Yellow and also popped up. I added yellow satin ribbon at the top to finish it off.

I stamped the turkey from "In Everything Give Thanks" with Black Stazon and water colored it with Water Color Wonder Crayons and the Aqua Painter. I matted the main image on Old Olive and rounded all the corners with the Small Corner Rounder. The sentiment is computer generated with a Stampin' Up! font, punched out with the Word Window Punch, and matted on Old Olive. The base card is Old Olive and the Pumpkin Pie layer is embossed with the Cuttlebug Forest Branches embossing folder.

I love using the "Loads of Love" truck for every holiday! The truck is stamped on Kiwi Kiss with Black Stazon and cut out. The pumpkins from "Loads of Love Accessories" are stamped on Tangerine Tango, cut out, and adhered to the truck. I used SU!'s Sizzix Big Shot to cut the die out of Very Vanilla and stamped the sentiment directly on this piece. It's also popped up on Dimensionals. I stamped leaves in each corner of the base card, but you might not be able to see them in this photo because they are Basic Brown on Chocolate Chip.

Project #4 is a Naturals Ivory base card with a strip of More Mustard with the leaves from "Harvest Home" stamped on it in Black Stazon. I will have the ladies stamp the leaves and sentiment with Basic Brown instead. I stamped the main image with Black Stazon on Very Vanilla and water colored it and matted it on More Mustard. The ladies can also leave off the strip with the leaves if they choose.

Project #5 is my favorite. I stamped some leaves with Chocolate Chip on a Kraft base card. I also sponged the edges of the card with Chocolate Chip. I stamped the other leaves on Old Olive and Summer Sun and sponged the edges of those as well after cutting them out. The pumpkin was stamped on Pumpkin Pie with Basic Black, and the face was also stamped with Basic Black, then I cut the pumpkin out, too. The b-o-o was stamped with Chocolate Chip, cut out and distressed. The letters didn't look dark enough, so I used a marker around the edges. I'm going to have the ladies stamp the letters with Basic Black. The jack-o-lantern is popped up on Dimensionals. The ladies will have the option of using two pumpkins and three leaves depending on how much cutting they are willing to do! Thanks for stopping by!!!

Ladies' Night Out ATC Challenge

I gave my Ladies' Night Out Club a challenge to make some ATC's (Artist's Trading Cards) by next month's meeting. The only rule you must follow when making ATC's is that the size MUST be 2-1/2" X 3-1/2". Other than that, you can decorate any way you like. I've made an additional rule, and that is to use Stampin' Up! stamps, inks, and papers. You can use Cuttlebug or any other embossing or die making machine, and the embellishments can be any vendor. My first example is made with Brilliant Blue and White (When using white, GP White is OK). I used the Level 1 Hostess set, "Punches Three" to stamp the main image, then I punched it out with the new Scallop Square Punch. I died a white flower Brilliant Blue and added a crystal brad in the center. I used the Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder and Night of Navy Ribbon.

My second example is this baby boy ATC. Again, I used the Cuttlebug Argyle embossing folder on the white. The main image is from "So Many Scallops" (2008 Sale-A-Bration) set. I stamped with Bashful Blue and punched with the Scallop Circle Punch. I used Light Blue Gingham Ribbon and used the piece I tied the knot with to attach the baby feet charm. Oh yes, I used the new 1-3/4" Circle Punch for the circle behind the scalloped main image. This was the easiest of the three examples to make.

The final example was this Halloween ATC. I started with Basic Black cut to ATC size of 2-1/2" X 3-1/2". I cut the Lovely Lilac piece to 2-1/4" X 3-1/4" and embossed it using the Cuttlebug Spiderweb embossing folder. I used the Arachnophobia Wheel to make the spiders in Green Galor and cut them out (Very fussy cutting!). I attached the spiders to the web with pieces of Dimensionals. I stamped "Happy Halloween" from "All Holidays" using Only Orange ink, then I punched it out with the Word Window Punch and matted it on the black. I used a Lovely Lilac Marker to darken the eyes. This would look good on an orange base card, I think.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Now that I'm back from vacation, I should be able to post more regularly.

On Vacation

Hi from sunny southern California! We spent the day last Friday driving to Buena Park, California. We took our time and got to our hotel just before 8:00 pm. The next two days were spent at Knott's Berry Farm, riding some of the scariest roller coasters I've ever seen. I went with my hubby and son on one called the "Silver Bullet". I don't think I'll ever do THAT again!! LOL! I couldn't wait until it was over. When I get home, I'll scan the picture that was taken of my son and me on that ride and post it. It was a fun time though. On Monday, we went to Disneyland. It was so crowded! We did spend the day there but left early, about 8:30 pm. I was in a wheelchair and my hubby was having trouble getting us through all the crowds. We did go on several rides though. I think my son liked the "Indiana Jones Adventure" ride the most. We couldn't get into any restaurant for dinner. We should have made reservations (two weeks in advance!). We left Disneyland and went to The Claim Jumper restaurant in Buena Park, right across the street from our hotel, for dinner. THAT was a very pleasant experience. I know we have that restaurant in Reno and will go there again. Yesterday, we took our time getting out of our hotel and driving to San Diego. When we got to the hotel, we rested for a couple of hours and then went for a drive around Mission Bay. We ended up in Seaport Village where we had dinner in a very upscale restaurant. We looked in a few shops and found one that had just Christmas decorations and ornaments. We bought a surfboard with a Santa on it that says, "San Diego, CA 2008". I like to have dated ornaments on my tree. I think I have one for every year since 1980! Anyway, we had a leisurely day yesterday. We are going to San Diego Zoo today. I can't walk that much right now because I have hip trouble, so we will take any transportation available and then just walk around a little bit. Tomorrow is when we head for home. I'll be ready. Vacations are fun, but it's always nice to be home again!!!

Hippo Gift Card Holder (WT179)

Today's Ways To Use It Challenge was to use Copic Markers. Well, I do have one, just one! I got it from my big ellie during a White Elephant Stampede. It's Shock Pink. If we didn't have Copics, we could use Sharpies or other permanent markers. I used my Shock Pink Copic marker to color the hippo. I'm much better at water coloring! I used fine point Sharpies for the balloon, the bow, and the green stripes on the party hat. I sponged the main image panel with Pixie Pink and popped up the hat on Dimensionals. I also popped up the matted main image panel as well as the sentiment panel. This is a gift card holder for my grand daughter who will be one year old soon.

• Stamps: Pun Fun, Sock Monkey (hat and sentiment)
• Papers: DCWV Nanna's Kids Pack, WalMart DP (inside), Pixie Pink, Gable Green, GP White
• Ink: Stazon Cherry Pink, Pixie Pink, Copic Shock Pink Marker, Sharpie Fine Point Markers
• Accessories: Snips, Dimensionals, Brads, Word Window Punch, Small Oval Punch (inside)

This may be my last post for a bit. We are leaving in the morning for a 7-day vacation. I'll be back at it on the 22nd of August. Have a wonderful week, my friends!!!

Talk Turkey (SC189)

Today's Sketch Challenge was just rectangles aligned to the left side of the card. It was OK to flip it and have the rectangles aligned to the top. With this kind of sketch, you have to find a larger image or use patterned paper. You could also use several smaller stamps, but you need to be able to fill up a large amount of empty space on layer #3.

I got this turkey image from someone on Splitcoaststampers.com through the "Pay It Forward" thread. People go there, read a list someone has posted, and try to be the first to "snag" one of the images from the list. The person who had posted the list acknowledges the "snag", and then they communicate through private messages. The "snagger" has to give an address to the list poster in order to get the stamped images. The "snagger" now has to post a list to allow someone else to snag one of their images. I did it a couple of times. When someone snags from you, you stamp the images with Black Stazon unless they request something else. Six 1/4 page pieces can be sent for $0.42 postage, so you can stamp six large images, twelve smaller images, and so on. It was fun, and I like what I got. Now, about this card, I trimmed the white to fit the sketch and water colored the image. That's the only thing that took any time at all. I sponged with Chocolate Chip and layered the main image on Chocolate Chip for a mat. I added the checkered ribbon and then adhered to Summer Sun and then to the Pumpkin Pie base card. I added the bow, and that's it! Thanks for stopping by today!

• Stamps: Let's Talk Turkey by Whipper Snapper Stamps
• Papers: Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, GP White
• Black Stazon
• Accessories: WCW Crayons (Earth Elements), Aqua Painter, Checkered Ribbon

Ladies' Night Out August Projects

Our first project will be this card done with "Inspired By Nature". The base card is Summer Sun with a layer of More Mustard on which I stamped the grass with More Mustard and the flowers with Whisper White Craft. Now, it does look pretty good if you just leave the white, but I chose to use chalks to color the flowers. The sentiment is stamped with Chocolate Chip on white, punched out with the Designer Label Punch, sponged with Chocolate Chip, and then matted on Chocolate Chip. I used two Vintage Brads and popped up the sentiment label on Dimensionals over More Mustard Grosgrain Ribbon. This card is really very simple, and there are lots of options here.

• Stamps: Inspired by Nature, Sweet Serendipity
• Papers: Summer Sun, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, White
• Ink: More Mustard, Whisper White Craft, Chocolate Chip
• Accessories: Designer Label Punch, Sponge, More Mustard GG Ribbon, Vintage Brads

Our second project will be the same card as for my Tuesday Nighers Club because I just love the card and know my ladies will love it, too! That card may be found here. Thanks again for stopping by!

Dreams & Wishes (CC179)

I was so busy yesterday with appointments and errands that I didn't get a chance to do a challenge card or upload anything. That being said, I did do today's Color Challenge which was to use Elegant Eggplant, Taken With Teal, and Old Olive. I like how the Teal looks against the Eggplant. While I was out and about yesterday, I went to JoAnn's and took advantage of some 40% off sale items. One was a Fiskars Antique Elegance Circle Border Punch. What a pain that thing is! It comes with a plastic circle template which you use to trace either a 4" or 6" circle, then you have to cut the circle out, and finally, you punch all the way around the circle. It was hard to punch through SU!'s thick paper. I think I should have just bought and small doily! LOL! Anyway, I stamped the main image in the center of the border punched circle and colored it with a Blender Pen and the ink pads. I paper pierced in the upper corners and popped up that doily looking thingie on Dimensionals.

• Stamps: Dreams du Jour, Heard from the Heart
• Papers: Elegant Eggplant, Taken With Teal, Old Olive, Naturals White
• Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Taken With Teal, Old Olive
• Accessories: Blender Pen, Fiskars Antique Elegance Circle Border Punch, Ticket Corner Punch, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Tuesday Nighters August Projects

Project #1 for this Tuesday's Club will be this card that I CASEd from a Wow Swap card I got at convention. The lady's screen name was happystamper09, but I couldn't find a gallery for her to link to. This is using a new Level 3 Hostess Set, and I thought it was so clever to make siding behind the window! This card will take some time because you have to get that siding spaced apart equally. I've already stamped the shutters, but my ladies will stamp the window and use the Stamp-a-majig to line up whatever stamps they want to use in those windows. They don't have to stamp the cat, water color it, cut it out, and pop it up like I did. The original card had the vases with flowers in the lower window, and the birdie was stamped directly on the lower right of the bottom siding panel. They will have a choice of sentiments, and they can make their cards for fall with pumpkins, Christmas with snowmen, or just general with the vases and flowers. Since this card is so involved, I made the next project a bit easier!

• Stamps: Window Dressing
• Papers: Naturals White, Sahara Sand, GP White, Baha Breeze
• Ink: Sahara Sand, Baha Breeze, Not Quite Navy
• Accessories: Snips, Dimesionals, WCW Crayons, Aqua Painter, Stamp-a-majig, Caramel Gingham Ribbon

Project #2 is a non-card item by request! Since all the ladies in this club work at the same elementary school (mostly teachers), I thought it would be fun to make a kind of teacher appreciation gift for themselves! This bookmark is made with a jumbo paper clip. I colored the stamp with markers, stamped on white, and punched with the 1-1/4" Circle Punch. I matted that on a scrap of Always Artichoke that was punched with the 1-3/8" Circle Punch. Then, I punched Real Red with the Scallop Circle Punch. After putting it all together, I did the same thing again for the other side. I put two Dimensionals (on top of each other) in the center plus Sticky Strip to adhere to the paper clip. I added red Gingham Ribbon as a final touch.

• Stamps: Tart & Tangy
• Papers: Real Red, Always Artichoke, GP White
• Ink: Real Red and Garden Green Markers
• Accessories: Jumbo Paper Clip, 1-1/4", 1-3/8", and Scallop Circle Punches, Red Gingham Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by today!

Scrap Book Evolution

First of all, please let me apologize for the crumby photos I took this morning! My camera is low on batteries, and I got in a hurry, but you'll get the general idea here. The photo above is of a 6" X 6" layout. The photo is three of my grandchildren at Disneyland during the holiday season. I used non-traditional colors even though it was Christmas time. I hand wrote the year with an SU! Journaling Marker. If you look closely, you can see hand embossed circles at the bottom of the page. I used Pretty In Pink Textured card stock and Green Galore for the matting.

Here's where the evolution takes place. The 6" X 6" is added to a sheet of 8-1/2" X 11" Green Galore and another picture is matted on pink. Stickers were added to complete the Disneyland theme. So, if you don't do 6" X 6" scrap books, but you do 8-1/2" by 11", even if you do the smaller layout at a club or something, you can convert it to the larger size.

Finally, there are many people who prefer 12" X 12" layouts. The 8-1/2" X 11" was simply added to a sheet of 12" X 12" patterned paper (WaMart). The banner at the bottom was printed on the computer with an SU! font (font CD). I also added the present in the middle of the page as an extra embellishment. I pulled that present off of a birthday card I received. Scrap bookers don't throw away anything! So, there you have it; from 6" X 6" to 12" X 12" in three easy steps! Thanks for stopping by today!!!

Just Bee-Cause (LSC180)

Today's Limited Supplies Challenge was to make "Lunch Box Notes". These little note cards are ATC size (2-1/2" X 3-1/2" after folding). I used scraps from last night's club make-&-takes; that's why it's yellow and black. This is for my 13 year old son, so I tried not to use flowers and girly things on it. It will be in his lunch or pencil pouch on the first day of school, August 25th. He's going into the 8th grade and has been home schooled for the past few years due to learning disabilities, so I bet he's a little nervous about it all. I know I am! He will have an IEP and lots of services, so I know they will try to make him comfortable there. Anyway, we were to get bonus points for using our $1 stamps. I think I got the bee stamp in a set of three for $1. There was a bee, a butterfly, and a ladybug. The sentiment is an acrylic stamp I got for a White Elephant gift. It works perfectly with the bees!

• Stamps: 3/$1 Bee stamp, unknown acrylic sentiment
• Papers: Yoyo Yellow, Basic Black, White
• Ink: Black Stazon
• Accessories: Word Window Punch, Snips

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Thursday Nighters August Projects

Well, I'm home! My son picked me up at the airport on Sunday night. He brought me home and had my hubby helped him with a lube job and oil change. His three kids were here so I had to entertain my grand kids while the men were in the garage working on his car. Then, yesterday, I got sick! There's a tummy bug going around I guess. My hubby was sick while I was at convention and my son was sick the day that I left. Now, it's back to work for me!

Card #1 for Thursday night's club is shown at the right. We will be using a retiring set for this one. I love the bright yellow with the black! We will be doing a bit of dry embossing and some crimping.

• Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley
• Papers: Yoyo Yellow, Basic Black, White
• Ink: Basic Black; Yoyo Yellow Marker
• Accessories: Crimper, Ticket Corner Punch, Dimensionals, Glue Dot, Basic Black GG Ribbon, Classy Brass Template "Dots", Light Table, Stylus

Card #2 is done with a set that just came out in the 2008 Spring/Summer Collection, but it's in the new catalog, too. I know my ladies aren't crazy about using eyelets, but I think eyelets just seem to work so well with a nautical theme. I'll do the eyelets for those that don't want to or can't, but they are so easy! Remember, these are Stampin' Up! eyelets and they are so easy to use with the 1/8" and 1/16" punches! After stamping the image of the sailboat, I tore all around it and sponged with Chocolate Chip ink to make it look burnt. The sentiment panel is popped up on two Dimensionals.

• Stamps: Winds of Grace
• Papers: Night of Navy, Sahara Sand, Naturals White (Line the inside with white, too.)
• Ink: Night of Navy
• Accessories: Sponge, Dimensionals, Basic Eyelets, Natural Hemp Twine

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Challenge Chasers

This photo was taken in front of Wendy's (Wendybell) house in Salt Lake City. She had invited all the Challenge Chasers that were going to Convention to her house for some Friday night fun. The two sexy ladies in the back are Karen (Imastampin) and MrsBoz (me!). LOL! I think this was the highlight of my convention. I really enjoyed meeting many of the ladies that have become my online friends. We ate a great dinner (Thai food) and had loads of laughs! It was a blast!!!