SSS106 - Time to Celebrate

Happy weekend!  Saturday means it's time for the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #106.  I am back from the soccer and baseball fields and before I head back out to do some errands, I had to play along with this fun sketch!  I FINALLY inked up my first Magnolia stamp, Tilda with Balloon, and colored her with copics.  I think she is so sweet!  Funny...........I never really liked these images, but after seeing many an adorable card by Wendy Ramlakhan, I started to fall in love with them.  I blame Wendy......for a lot of things I feel the need to buy.   Damn her.  ;)

Here is the sketch:

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

Crazy for Challenges #85
Paper Cutz Challenge #89
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #162
Craft Your Passion Challenges #55
Simon Says Stamp! Challenge
Just Add Ink #66

Supply list:

Stamps:  Magnolia Rubber Stamps "Tilda with Balloon," sentiment from MFT a la modes "Time to celebrate"
Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black
CS:  PTI white, kraft, and berry sorbet
PP:  My Mind's Eye "Tickled Pink" 6x6 paper pad
Copics:  E11, E00. E000, R20, R05, R02, R01, C1, C00, B59, B57, B55, E35, YR24, YR12, Y21, BG15, BG10
Tools:  Nesties ovals, Martha Stewart border punch, Gelly Roll Green Star
Accessories:  PTI berry sorbet saddle stitch ribbon, no idea who makes those flowers, and a button with twine



VLVMAY2011week1 - Wedding Wishes

I thought I had no interest in the royal wedding........until I woke up at 4:30 this morning, turned on the TV, and worked awfully hard to keep my sleepy eyes open to watch the whole thing.  YAWN!  Before I crash tonight, I wanted to play along with the Viva La Verve May 2011 Week 1 sketch challenge.  Given today's festivities, I was inspired to make a wedding card. 

I love this patterned paper from the "Me & My Big "black and white color basics paper collection.  I paired it with PTI white, black, and pure poppy card stock.  I ran the oval panel through the SU square lattice embossing folder.  I used the PTI double ended banner.  That sentiment is from the Verve Stamps Wishful Elegance set.  Those pretty little miniature paper flowers were in my Taylored Expressions Key Ingredients kit for April as were those pearls.  Here is the sketch:

April Showers Bring May Flowers

I am playing along with the Verve Stamps April Diva Dare - Day One challenge which is to make something that fits the theme of "April showers bring may flowers."  I am always happy to ink up my new stash of Verve Stamps.  This company has quickly made it to my top three favorites (along with Papertrey Ink and My Favorite Things)!  I combined this challenge with the Clean & Simple Stamping Sketch #137.

I inked 3 Verve Stamps sets to make this card.  Those pretty flowers are from the Wishful Elegance set, the leaves are from the Dream Big set, and that sentiment is from the Thankful Accents set.  I just love that font!  I colored the flowers with my copics (YR18, YR15, YR12, Y08, Y04) and I adhered the smaller flower on top of the larger one with a foam dimensional and added PTI b\pure poppy buttons to the center.  I stamped PTI Background Basics: Text Style to the white panel in SU crumb cake ink.  The leaves are stamped in SU old olive ink.  I adhered that pretty patterned paper from the Memory Box Brioche 6x6" paper collection onton PTI kraft CS.  The ribbon is PTI harvest Gold.  Here is the sketch:

This card was featured on the Verve Stamps blog from the April Verve Diva Dare Challenge!

MFTWSC17 - Good Luck

As soon as I saw the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club Sketch Challenge #17, I knew I wated to ink up my newest MFT a la mode "Wishing You Luck."  I stamped her on PTI vintage cream card stock and colored her with copics.  I used PTI royal velvet (looooove that color) and ripe avacado CS and PTI Pacific Vineyard patterned paper.  Some twine and a PTI ripe avacado button for an embellishement complete the look! 

And here's the sketch:

Mojo188 - My Friend

I don't know why, but I haven't played along with the Mojo Monday challenges in a few weeks, but I'm back at this week!  I love a card with a circular panel so I was happy to play along with the challenge #188.  I picked up this pretty pattern paper collection this weekend. It is called "Brioche" by Memory Box.  I paired it with some PTI white, kraft, harvest gold card stock. 

The sentiment is from the SU All Holidays stamp set.  I stamped it in Momento rich cocoa ink.  I sponged some PTI tea dye duo around the circular panel.  I hadn't used my MFT rolled rose and mini rolled rose Die-Namics in a while so I decided to use them for the embellishments on the card.  I think they are so pretty!  Here's the sketch:

Bridal Shower invitations

I was asked to make bridal shower invitations so I had an excuse to hit my favorite craft store (Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA).   This shower will be an outdoor luncheon in June so I wanted to do something floral.   As soon as I saw this Hero Arts "Delicate Blossoms" stamp set, I knew what I wanted to do!  This was the sample I emailed to the customer. 

I used Microsoft Publisher to print the invitations.  I stamped the image in Momento Tuxedo Black ink and colored the image with copics (V09, V06, V12, V000, YG17, and YG 13).  I added some shimmer to the flowers with a Clear Star Gelly Roll pen.  I matted the invitation with PTI lavender moon CS and then mounted that on PTI Plum pudding CS.  

The customer loved the design, but then told me the bride prefers more vibrant colors.  It is fall wedding, but the customer wanted a color that would tie in the theme of a summer shower AND a fall wedding so we settled on this.

This time I stamped the image in Momento tuxedo back ink and colored the image with the follwoing copics:  R01, R02, R05, YG93, and YG85.  I matted the invitation with PTI melon berry CS and then attached it to PTI terracotta tile base.  I used a clear star Gelly Roll pen to add some shimmer to the blossoms again. 

I used a the PTI A2 envelope liner die and a Sizzix Flourish embossing folder to line the envelopes.  And here they are packaged and ready to be shipped across the country to sunny CA!

SSS105 - You make me smile

It's a rainy day here in North Andover, MA so baseball and soccer was cancelled this morning which means I was able to get back to my favorite Saturday moring routine.................sipping coffee and playing along with this week's Sweet Spot Sketch Challenge!  I had purchased this adorable digi stamp called "Sweet Blossom" by Wee Stamps awhile back, but I had never colored her up.  I added tiny rhinestones to her headband and to the centers of the flowers. Isn't she so sweet?!

I decided not to add the embellishments in the sketch

because I think it looks sweet just as it is.  Here is the sketch:

Stamps:  Wee Stamps Sweet Blossom, Verve Thanksful Heart  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo Black  CS:  SU pink pirouette, PTI white, lavender moon  PP:  Basic Grey Kioshi paper pad  Tools:  Nesties ovals, Copics (E11, E00, E000, R20, R85, R83, R81, E35, YR23, YR21, Y21, V15, V09, V12, Y08, Y04, Y02, YG13, YG11, C03, C02, C01, C00

VLVAPR2011 week 4 - Thank you

When I splurged and bought some new Verve Stamp sets, I promised myself I would play along with all four April Vva La Verve Sketch Challenges.  I did it!  I suppose that means I can order some more for May's challenges, right?  That certainly seems logical to me.  :)  Here is my card for week 4:

You can find a tutorial on how to make the starburst HERE.  I had never tried that before.  I do think it is very pretty and it was really easy!    It seems to give the card some motion.  Your eye is drawn from the flower and then up and to the right.  I sponged the edges of the panels with the PTI tea dye duo.   I stamped the flower image from the Verve Dream Big stamp set twice, cut the center out of one of the images and then layer it on top of the full image with foam dimensionals to make the flower pop.  Here's the sketch:

Stamps:  Verve Dream Big, PTI Background Basics: Retro  Ink:  PTI tea dye due, SU early espresso and only orange, Momento bamboo leaves  CS:  PTI dark chocolate, orange zest, simply chartreuse, and white  PP:  PTI Autumn Abundance  Tools:  PTI eyelet lace border die, Nestabilities ovals, SU 1/2" circle punch  Accessories:  SU build-a-brad, Satin Sensation choclate satin ribbon



MFTWST16 - A little birdie

I had to play along when I saw the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club Sketch Challenge #16.  Such a fun sketch!  I inked my MFT Pure Innocence "You're So Tweet" stamp set.  I colored her with copics and paper pieced her dress in some SU patterned paper.  The other patterned paper I used is by Basic Grey.  I paired it with PTI dark chocolate, kraft, and white CS and some SU always artichoke CS.  I sponged some PTI tea dye duo around the circular panel.  Some SU choclate chip grosgrain ribbon tied in a neat little knot completes the card!

Big News to Share!

I am SO excited to announce that I have been asked to be part of the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Digi Challenge Design Team!  There will be weekly challenges every Friday beginning May 6th!  You can check out the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge blog HERE!  Be sure to check out my fellow DT members' blogs.  You are sure to be inspired by their creativity and talent!  Check out all the of the oh-so-cute Sweet 'n Sassy Digital Stamps HERE!  May 6th is just around the corner so stay tuned!  Hope you will play along with me!

SSSC113 - Miss hanging out with you

To play along with the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #113, I went digging through a stash of stamps I had from when I first started stamping two years ago.  I am pretty sure these are Unity Stamps.  I didn't keep my stamps organized when I first started stamping the way I do now.  I stamped the image in Momento rich cocoa ink and then stamped it again in SU real red ink so I that I could paper piece the roof and base of the birdhouses.  It looked too drab all in brown.  I colored the birdhouses with copics.  I sponged some PTI tea dye duo around the edge of the circle.  The card stock is PTI harvest gold and pure poppy and the PP is from the DCWV Citrus matstack.  I used the PTI beautiful blooms II #3 die collection and a SU corduroy pumpkin pie brad to make the flower embelishment.  I colored the 3 pearls with my copics.

JUGS80 & CPS214 - Embrace Life

The Just Us Girls Color Challenge #80 was just that.......a challenge.  I stared blankly at 4 sheets of card stock in these colors off and on all day today.  It was when I saw the Card Positioning Systems Sketch Challenge #214 that the wheels started turning.   I stamped the PTI Background Basics: Retro stamp set in Momento tuxedo back ink on PTI Hawaiian Shores CS and adhered it to black CS.  I used PTI melon berry CS and PTI Distressed Dots PP for the flowers made from PTI Beautiful Bloom II #1 die collection.  I added black CS to center of the SU build-a-brads.  I drew 2 lines in black and then stamped the sentiment from the Verve Dream Big stamp set.  In the end, I really like the card.  I would never in a million years put these colors together on my own. 

Sketchbook Saturday #7 - Dream Big

When I saw the Sketchbook Saturday #7 sketch challenge, I immediately thought of the paper flower embellishments I bought a long time ago and just found in my stash of craft supplies that I am hoarding.  I have no idea who makes this pretty flower.  It was stored in a fancy shmancy zip lock bag.....not the original packaging.  Sorry about that.  It pairs beautifully with PTI raspberry fizz card stock.  I wanted this to really pop and take center stage on the card, so I paired it with white and black card stock and striped patterned paper by Me & My Big Ideas.  I used my MFT jumbo scallop die to create all those ruffles.  That pretty sentiment is from the Verve Dream Big stamp set.  Some black satin ribbon completes the look!

CPS111 - Sympathy

I used the Card Patterns Sketch #111 as my inspiration for this clean & simple sympathy card.  I used the PTI With Sympathy stamp set.  I sponged the edges of the white panel with PTI tea dye duo and then sponged some SU pastels in various blues for the sky.  I stamped the butterfly images in SU perfect plum, cut them out, and adhered them with mini glue dots.  I folded the wings up to add dimension. 

 Stamps:  PTI With Sympathy Ink:  Momento Tuxedo black, PTI tea dye duo, SU pale plum, perfct plum, and certainly celery  CS:   PTI kraft, white, plum pudding, and lavender moon  Tools:   SU pastels  Accessories:  pearls

SSS104 and OTWC51 - Happy Easter

 Despite 2 soccer games and a baseball practice today, I am finding the time play along with the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge #104 on the day it was revealed.  I do miss being able to wake up  sipping coffee while playing along in the morning, but soccer / baseball mom duties have put this routine on the back burner for the spring.  In combining this challenge with the Off the Wall Craftiness Challenge #51, I completely blanked on the "spin" part of the Sweet Stop Challenge was to include "winged things."  Hmmmm.  Wonder if I can submit more than one card to be eligible for the prize?  Will have to look.  Anyway, I used this cute little digi image by Bugaboo Stamps called EB Egg Tower to play along today.



Stamps:  Bugaboo Stamps EB Egg Tower, SU Teeny Tiny Wishes  CS:  PTI rasberry fizz, plum pudding, white  PP:  Echo Park Spring Time Collection Kit  Tools:  SU polka dot embossing folder, copics, SU eyelet border punch, 1" circle punch, 1.25" circle punch Accessories:  PTI ripe avacado buttons and jute

VLVAPR2011week3- Thanks so much

Friday means it is time to play along with week 3 of the Viva La Verve April Sketch Challenge!   I got some new Verve stamps sets this week so I inked 'em up!  I love the font of the sentiments in the Thankful Accents set and I also used the interesting floral images from the Wishful Elegance set.  I colored the flowers with copics and used foam tape to add dimension.  I stamped the sentiment in SU perfect plum ink and sponged some SU pale plum and perfect plum around the edges of the oval. 

Stamps:  Verve Thankful Accent and Wishful Elegance  Ink:  Momento Tuxedo black, SU perfect plum, SU pale plum  CS:  PTI white, lavender moon, and simply chartreuse, Bazzill Basics flirty  PP:  Heidi Grace A little bird's tale, Me & My Big Ideas  Tools:  SU oval punch, Martha Stewart border punch, Copics  (V12, V15), spica glitter pen  Accessories: PTI lavender moon grosgrain ribbon

SSD72 - Thank you so very much

I can't say no to a good sketch challenge and when I saw the Skipping Stones Designs Sketch Challenge #72, I had to play along!  I had gone shopping looking for some pretty PP in cream and black for a color challenge that I wanted to try, but I stumbled across this beautiful black and white PP by Me & My Big Ideas.  I paired it with PTI sweet blush and SU regal rose CS.  I used my PTI Delightful Dahlia set.  I stamped the dahlia twice, colored it with my copics and added some shimmer with a spica pen.  I cut the center and inner petals of one dalia and then mounted that with foam tape onto the second dahlia to add dimension.  I was wishes I had the PTI tiny tags stamp set and dies, but they are still on backorder....sigh.  So, I just hand cut a little tag and stamped the sentiment from the PTI Delightful Dahlia stamp set.  Some sheer black ribbon, some twine, and three little pearls complete the card.

CQC #80 - Thank You

I am offically hooked on color challenges now!  I can easily pull together a card for a sketch challenge, but color challenges take me much longer to create something that I like...........but that is what a challenge is all about I suppose.  Today I inked up some new Verve stamp sets to play along with the ColourQ Challenge #80.  The great thing about these color challenges is that I am using color combinations that are not my typical go to colors, yet I do love the end results!

Stamps:  Verve Dream Big, Verve Wishful Elegance, PTI Background Basics Text Style

SSSC112 - Class Act

With soccer and baseball back in full swing, I am back on chauffeur duties.  Working on my favorite challenges on the days they are revealed will be more difficult.  Finally got a chance to play along with the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #112.  I had not yet ink one of my newest MFT a la mode stamps sets called "You Rule."  I paper pieced her paper (that sounds funny) and colored her up with copics.  I paired it with an apple image from the PTI Teacher's apple set.  The card stock is PTI black and white and the patterned paper is from Echo Park's Walk in the Park.

VLVAPR2011sketch2 - Sugar & Spice

Here's week #2 sketch challenge for the April Viva La Verve Sketch Challenge.  Truth be told......I didn't love this sketch when I saw it.  BUT, I played along last week and my goal is to play along each week so I sucked it up and went to work.  After all, I have my new Verve stamps ready and waiting to be inked up and I have more on the way so I have no excuse NOT to play! Though it took me several tried to come up with something I liked, I must say that I LOVE this card!  Glad I stuck with it! 

Stamps:  Verve To the Moon Ink:  SU early spresso, Momento tuxedo black, SU pretty ink, SU certaily celery  CS:  SU pretty in pink and certaily celery , PTI white  PP:  Recollections Pink Plaid  Tools:  Nesties ovals and scalloped ovals, SU polka dot embossing folder , Copics (RV10, RV14), paper piercing tool  Accessories:  white satin ribbon, pearls

SSS103 - Sweet Birthday

Look at this fun sketch for this week's challenge over at the Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge!  How fun is that?!?!  I desided to use this cute digi stamp by Bugaboo stamps called BB Girl Cupcake Sitter.  I colored her up with copics and added some glitter to the frosting.  Her dangling feet are mounted with some foam ahesive to ad dimension.  I paired it with some PTI harvest gold card stock and some patterned paper from the Jillibean Soup Blossom Soup 6x6 mini pad.  I have no idea who makes that flower embellie.  I found it in my stash of random left over embellies.  The sentiment is from PTI's Birthday Basics stamps set.

TSSC168 - Happy Birthday

I loved this week's sketch over on the Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge blog so I had to play along .  I decided to combine it with the Stamping 411 Color Inspiration Challenge #154.

I used my ALL TIME FAVORITE Stampin' Up! set....Watercolor Trio.  I also used PTI Background Basics: Text tyle.  I stamped the text in crumb cake ink. I added some twine and some rhinestones to embellish.

CR84FN22 - Thank You

When I saw this week's CR84FN color challenge, I immeidately thought to ink up my new "Thankful Accents" Verve Stamp set.  I used the Sketchbook Saturday Challenge #5 for my layout.  I used PTI krft, ripe avacado and dark chocolate card stock.  I ran the rope avacado panel through my SU square lattice embossing folder.  I colored the rhinestones with copics.   I just love the font on that sentiment!  I used PTI ripe avacado ink and Momento rich cocoa ink for the sentiment.