Friends 4 Sketch Challenge

Darling Daughter played along with me again today because we ARE Crazy 4 Challenges!  What a great sketch this is!  I notice that the cards I've been making this week seem to use stamps from many sets, so I added the "challenge" that the card I made could only use ONE stamp set!   

Spring inspired me to choose Storybook Friends and this lovely Lost Lagoon DSP from the All Abloom stack.  The mat, ink and ribbon are Soft Suede and the card base is Crumb Cake.

DD liked the sparkle of this retired DSP and we paired it up with some Raspberry Ripple CS.

Llama swaps, part 1

This week I'm going to share some of the pretty cards I've received from my llama sisters, either in a swap or as a RAK.  Today's are all created by the lovely and talented Buffy Cooper.

Colors: Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, Blushing Bride

Stamps:  Petite Pairs, Fabulous Florets

Colors: Wisteria Wonder, Melon Mambo, Concord Crush, Lucky Limeade

Stamps:  Bordering on Romance,   Petite Pairs

DSP: Cheerful Treat

Colors:  Blushing Bride CS & DSP, Very Vanilla, Old Olive

Stamps:  Just Beleive, Elements of Style, Music Notes Wheel

Domestic Goddess

I bought this DSP for the beautiful color combinations in it.  So glad I did because I think it made a perfect card for a bridal shower.   I put it into a Stampin' Up! clear envelope, wrapped the gift in cellophane, and tied it with matching Daffodil Delight satin ribbon.  Now the card is also the decoration for the gift.   Thanks to my fellow demo Michelle Bair for this great idea!

Stamps:  Petite Pairs

Punches:  Large Oval, Decorative Label, Heart to Heart

Papers:  Domestic Goddess, Brights DSP Stack

Card stock:  Baja Breeze and Calypso Coral

Colors of Spring Llama Blog Hop

Working on projects using our soon-to-retire set of In Colors has made me realize how much I love all of them.  Pear Pizzazz is by far and away my favorite green, and I've liked Concord, Blushing and Poppy from the very start.  Up until this week, I thought I didn't care for Peach Parfait, because it's orange, but now that we're about to lose it, I realize that it is my favorite Stampin' Up! orange; not as bright as Tangerine Tango or as deep as Pumpkin Pie, it works for spring, summer and fall.   What's your favorite In Color?

My first project is an all-occasion card that I created in My Digital Studio.   I used stamps and embellishments from the Spring Fever ensemble; the colors are So Saffron, Melon Mambo and Pear Pizzazz.   While this versatile green will no longer be available as traditional ink, ribbon and cardstock after June 1st, it will always be available digitally.  Similarly, the Spring Fever Simply Scrappin' Kit that has these images is only available until the end of this month, but the digital version should be around for awhile.   I'm making sure I have both!

Next, I made a poppy using, what else, Poppy Parade.   The Fancy Flower punch would have worked here too, I think, but I'm more infatuated with the newer Blossom Punch!   The black center uses the Boho Blossoms Punch and an Antique Brad.   The Designer Series Paper on this card was a Hostess item last year, but as of April 9th, it was available on the Clearance Rack; I don't think it will last long - gorgeous patterns really useful for many cards.  (I used some last Christmas.)  The sentiment on this card is from the Just Believe stamp set.

Finally, I wanted to make a card with Concord Crush, because it's my favorite purple, deep and bluish.   I usually use it as an accent color because it's so dark, but this time I wanted to make it the primary color of the card:

Funny thing is, I struggled for the longest time and then this card almost made itself.    I used the Paper Doily die on Brushed Silver cardstock and sponged it with Frost White Shimmer Paint.  The image from Mixed Bunch was stamped twice in Concord Crush on Whisper White and punched with the coordinating Blossom Punch. An Antique Brad and Dimensionals were used to mount the pieces onto a 4 1/2" square Concord Crush card base.    I cut 4 petals off the second stamped and punched image.   I placed each petal under the doily die cut and traced the doily outline onto each petal with a sharp pencil and trimmed with paper snips before gluing the pieces to the corners.

Be sure to check out all the contributions from my sister llamas.   Next up is the talented Debbie Martin at CleverandCute.

                    

Simple, pretty & super INexpensive cellphone skin!

I needed a new cellphone, and asked my husband to get me a basic phone.   He surprised me with a touchphone, and I was more excited about the fact that I'd be able to personalize it than I was about it's fancy features!   Inspired by a YouTube video, I got a clear snap-together case, traced through the front of it onto the back side of my Paisley Petals DSP, and cut it out.   Again using the case as a template to trace onto the back of the paper, I marked a circle for the camera hole and used a 1/2" circle punch on that.    I added my initial on a piece of vellum, since I wanted to see the pattern, but didn't want the initial to get totally lost.   Then, of course I inked the edges of everything with Marina Mist and Night of Navy.   I love my purty new phone, and when I get bored with it, I have TONS of other choices in my stash of papers.


I made a matching business card holder, too - not as happy with how that came out, since I don't have a tiny alphabet stamp, I just wrote my initial, and my laminating machine put a wrinkle on the DSP... still 100x prettier than what I found in the clearance bin at the office supply store, tho!   I had to pry off a really ugly epoxy sticker that covered the whole front before I could adhere my paper...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope today finds you with many things to be thankful for.   I'm happy to be closer to family this year, and on my way to my aunt's for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner later today.   I made this last night to give to her as a little hostess gift.   The candle is wax, but it has an electric votive inside, so very safe!   I don't know about you, but I don't think I've ever seen a project made with Spice Cake Designer Series Paper that I didn't like, so it seemed like a no-brainer to use for this project.  I'm one of those stampers who feels the need to ink distress the edges of everything, preferably in 2 or 3 colors of ink; here I used Pool Party, More Mustard, Soft Suede and Chocolate Chip.   Sentiment from Day of Gratitude.  Punches:  Decorative Label and Lace Border.   Beautiful Antique Brad - I love those things.    Next time maybe I'll put a knot or bow of the Crochet Lace &/or Linen thread - oooooh!   I think I need to make another one of these soon!

Dimensionals used to adhere label to strip of paper and Sticky Strip to adhere paper to the candle.