No Time to Stamp!

Well, the best of intentions didn't pan out the last two nights. I had to work last night, and got home just in time to put the kids in bed. Tonight one thing led to another, and I never made it to my stamp room. Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow.

This is a card I made earlier this year for my sister-in-law's birthday. It's one that I particularly like, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Flannel plaid is stamped on the base card before the paisleys. I used the white gel pen to add the dots to the paisleys (of course). Linen is stamped in apricot appeal under "Happy Birthday". The main image was distressed and then bravo burgundy was sponged on the edges. I used the paper piercing tool from the crafter's tool kit to finish off the corners of the artichoke layer. I decided to finish it off with the ribbon and aged brass hodgepodge hardware. I hope you like it.

Stamps: Flannel Plaid, Linen, Polka Dots & Paisley, Warmest Regards; Card Stock: Bravo Burgundy, Apricot Appeal, Always Artichoke; Ink: Bravo Burgundy, Apricot Appeal; Accessories: Markers, White Gel Pen, Hodgepodge Hardware, Burgundy & Apricot Grosgrain Ribbon, Crafter's Tool Kit, Sponge; Technique: Distressing

A Happy Hello

Whew...didn't know if I was actually gonna get one on tonight. I've had a busy evening of supervising Jessie painting (note one of her art pieces behind the card) and helping Kyle on his quest for 6,000,000 bolts in Star Wars Legos for PS2. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that the goal was accomplished and he has purchased the "x4" extra from the Mos Eisley Cantina. I know I'll sleep a little sounder tonight.

This is actually a Cami-style trifold card that I made with Teri on Sunday. I was looking to add a little something to it, so today's challenge of Levi Tab cards (TLC113) was perfect.

The card base is from Petals & Paisley DSP. I used the coluzzle to cut the old olive frame, the main image inside the card, and the opening to the front. This of course was a time for the stamp-a-ma-jig (I say that as if there's ever a time not to use the smj! Have I mentioned that it is one of the best accessories I've ever purchased?!). The image is colored in with markers and so saffron is sponged around the girls so it wasn't so stark white. This was a fun one to make.

Stamps: Pocket Fun, All Year Cheer I, Mini Mates; Card Stock: Petals & Paisley DSP, Whisper White, Old Olive; Ink: Basic Black, So Saffron; Accessories: Coluzzle, Markers, Slit Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, Rose Grosgrain Ribbon, Ticket Corner Punch, Sponge

Fun Weekend!

This was a fun weekend!! I had a bridal shower to go to on Saturday (the one I had made that tr-fold card for). Jessie (3) was very excited to go to an all girls party. But, she was very disappointed that we were going to cut the cake before we sang, so she started singing "Happy Birthday". A few other joined in, so we sang Jen "Happy Birthday" at her shower!

My sister-in-law came back with me and spent the night at our place. We had a great time crafting together ...between the bouts of playing Dora's house with Jessie and the "Getcha Game" with Kyle. I had to ask when it was my turn to play with Teri!

The kids went to bed fairly early so we made a few cards ourselves. I wish I would have taken a picture of the beautiful wedding card Teri made with my Terrific Tulips set...and she calls herself a novice! I'm posting a couple of cards I made last night. We also did triangle tri-fold cards, Cami's tri-fold card, nugget boxes, and sour cream containers.

Stamps: Print Pattern, Bundle of Joy, Warm Words; Card Stock: Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Ballet Blue, Watercolor; Ink: Versamark, Basic Black; Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainter, Blue Gingham Ribbon, Soft Subtles Buttons, White Gel Pen, Crafter's Tool Kit; Technique: Faux Stitching

I haven't had much chance to play with Very Punny, so I did up a quick one for fun. The red base is stamped with Canvas, although it doesn't show so well in the picture. The lady bug heads were stamped on white card stock, then cut out, and mounted.

Stamps: Canvas, Very Punny; Card Stock: Real Red, Basic Black, Confetti White; Ink: Basic Black; Accessories: Red Marker, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Square Punches, Word Window Punch, Black Eyelets, Red Gingham Ribbon

Happy Friday!

Today's Limited Supply challenge was to make a birthday card with a cute bug or animal within 45 minutes. This was a super quick, super simple card. It took about 15 minutes.

The birthday cake is colored with markers, and yo-yo yellow is sponged around the candle flame. Pretty in Pink is sponged lightly around the elephant, but it doesn't show too well in the pic. The Riveting circle image is mounted on dimensionals to make it stand out a bit. I used a WWC and blender pen to create the shadow under the elephant. To get the cameo coral gift of the white card stock, I stamped it on a scrap piece of CS and then used the 1/2" circle punch. I thought the french blue ribbon was a good touch of color.

Stamps: Wild About You, Riveting; Card Stock: Cameo Coral, Pretty in Pink, Confetti White, Slumber Party DSP; Ink: Going Gray, Pretty in Pink, Yo-yo Yellow, Basic Black; Accessories: Markers, WWC, Blender Pen, Sponge, 1 3/8", 1 1/4", and 1/2" Circle Punches, Ticket Corner Punch, Dimensionals, French Blue Grosgrain

When Kyle got home from school he saw my card sitting near the computer, as I was just about to upload it here. He asked what it was for, and I explained the challenge to him. He got all excited and said he wanted to make a cute birthday card for the contest too. He picked out all the stamps himself. He said he wanted it to look like the penguin was holding the cake with his foot.

He colored all the stamps with his SU kids markers, huffed, and stamped. He said that's his favorite technique since he can put all the color where they are supposed to be. (When I offered him the black ink pad he said, "Mom, a penguin's beak is not black", and shook his head.

Thanks for checking out Kyle's Korner again!!

Forest Haze

Well, here it is! I really wasn't trying to build up suspense overnight, I just couldn't upload. So I thought I'd try again this morning before I went to work...tah dah! When we find a front row parking spot on a shopping trip Scott always says that the shopping gods are smiling down upon us and it will be a successful trip. If I can relate this working this morning to that(okay, I know it's a stretch) then maybe the stamping gods are smiling down upon me and I'll be able to do another challenge after work today! Hey...whatever works!

So, this is the card I made for the SCS Sketch Challenge 120 yesterday. I really like the layout. I think it's one that will be used a lot. I like trying to do masculine cards every now and again, because they seem to be a little more difficult to come up with. You know what I mean...it's easy to stamp a few flowers, add some purdy ribbon, and have a great feminine card.

I liked the idea of doing a scene for the main image, so I decided to go with one of my favorites...Lovey As a Tree. I love true thyme and chocolate chip together on a "guy" card, so those were my color choices. I used two different background stamps and matted the panels to break up the card base a bit. I've been on a distressing kick lately too so I distressed the panels before I mounted them on the chocolate chip. As I started to stamp off the trees (with chocolate chip on true thyme) I had the thought to make them hazy looking...like being up north, or on the farm, at dawn on a chilly morning. (Sorry for the over-dramatization there!) I sponged very vanilla around the trees and then sponged chocolate chip over the trees to darken them a bit. The haze aspect of the card is much better in real life...kinda loses something in the scan. I mounted the image on very vanilla card stock that I had spritzed with chocolate chip ink and then mounted that on chocolate chip. I wanted to finish it off with a little something (not too frilly) so I went with the natural hemp twine.

I like this one, and I hope you do too. Thanks for checking back in!

Stamps: Lovely As a Tree, Canvas, Weathered; Card Stock: True Thyme, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla; Accessories: Sponges, Color Spritzer Tool, Chocolate Chip Marker, Hemp Twine

No Photo Tonight

Well, looks like there won't be a new card up tonight. I either can't get the blogger site or my computer to cooperate. Whatever it is, I can't get my card to upload. I'm bummed, because unlike yesterday, I was really happy about how the one that was supposed to be here turned out. I'll try again tomorrow. I don't even have any good tales to share tonight. Worked late. Late dinner. Kids to bed. Stamped my challenge card. Sat here trying to share the picture with you. That sums it up! I did order something fun today (he..he..he)!!

(not so) Cool Caribben

Today's color combo challenge on SCS listed two choices. I chose Cool Caribbean, Basic Black, and White. I thought I would give this a try because I rarely use Cool Caribbean (don't hate me!). In fact, I still have card stock from the first assortment pack I bought with the new catalog last July. To me these challenges are about about trying different things...(but I don't know that I'll be trying this one again!).

I stamped Paisley background on whisper white first, and then stamped French Script in black over it. I distressed the edge with my craft and rubber scissors. The flower is from In Full Bloom, stamped on glossy white with black Staz On. I then used the metallic resist technique (colored in with metallic pencils, brayered with cool caribbean, and then wiped off the excess). I crumbled a small piece of cool caribbean and then stamped the sentiment. The flower is cut out (obviously) and mounted with dimensionals.

Stamps: In Full Bloom, Paisley, French Script; Card Stock: Cool Caribbean, Whisper White, Glossy White, Basic Black; Ink: Cool Caribbean, Basic Black, Black Staz On; Accessories: Metallic Pencils, Foam Brayer, Hodgepodge Hardware, Black Grosgrain, White Gel Pen; Technique: Metallic Pencil Resist