Hello!

I've been getting inky again.  This time I'm playing along with The Color Throwdown, specifically ctd323.

I was a bit disappointed when this challenge stopped using Stampin' Up!® color names for the selections, mainly because I eat, sleep and breathe Stampin' Up! colors for my scrapping, so it was super duper easy for me!  Now I have to work a little more! LOL
I do understand that many players had the opposite perspective, that they felt stymied by those names, felt like they had to use those colors, and maybe some didn't play because of that.  Thanks ladies, (over at CTD), for recognizing that and reaching out to those crafters.  Sharing our creativity with others who understand and appreciate is what it's all about, after all.

And now, on to my creations.  More pocket cards!  Yah!

I used Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom, Rose Red and Very Vanilla for my color selection.
While I was looking through my stash for some Rose Red cardstock, I came across a package of Cameo Coral.  yep!  I think I might be making another set of cards substituting that for the Rose Red.

Flower punches are always a favorite, pearls a must, and some gold embossing is a special treat for any project.

 

I'm really reflecting on the 'Life Happens. Love Helps.' sentiment right now.  Love is so powerful, and not just the love God showed when He gave us His Son, born in a stable and cradled in a manger, and ultimately crucified on the cross to pay our debt of sin; but also the love we demonstrate toward each other.  It covers a mutlitude of sins, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.  Even the rough places in relationships, circumstances and the world around us.

The Greatest of these is Love . . . . What Christmas is all about.

Merry Christmas!

Credits:
Stampin' Up!®: cardstock~Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom (both retired), Very Vanilla; ink~Kiwi Kiss, Blush Blossom, Rose Red (all retired), VersaMark; stamps~Vintage Vogue (retired), Petite Petals, Bordering Blooms; punches~Petite Petals, Boho Blossoms, Decorative Label, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Elegant Butterfly, Scallop Edge Border; gold emboss powder, basic pearls, basic rhinestones

Scraps: dark pink cardstock, gold cardstock

Color Throwdown #195

I love these colors!  Very soft.  Very feminine.  Very me.

I'm appreciating the digital paper files I've been accumulating over the past couple of years, especially since two of the three local scrapping stores have gone out of business.  I know many of you don't even have a local scrapping store, so having one left may seem like a wonderful thing.  The down side is that each of the three tended toward different styles, so we don't have quite the variety from which to choose anymore.
All that to say, that having digi files of DPs is great!  I can print and scrap whenever the mood hits. Yeah!

The papers I've used on this card come from two different sources, Trina Clark at DigiScrapKits.com, (floral and check) and Tabea at blog.sunshineartz.com, (solid pink).

Both of these ladies have wonderful digital scrapping supplies.

I used the Card Patterns Sketch #168 for my layout, but didn't take a photo in time to link up to that challenge.

Credits:
Stampin' Up!: Card Stock (Barely Banana-retired), stamp, ink, Eyelet Border punch, Top Note die
Sunshine Artz: pink digi paper
Digi Scrap Kits: checked and floral digi papers
Stash: white CS, ribbon, pearls


Challenges:
Color Throwdown - #195

Color Throwdown 173

One of my goals for this new year of 2012 is to participate in at least one card challenge each week.  For the first week of January, I chose The Color Throwdown #173.  The challenge colors for this week were:

I'm getting better at putting together black and white cards, but throw in that 'red' and I'm 'color challenged' to a big degree!  To make it easy on myself I used the sketch at Card Patterns (#147) so all I had to do was figure out how to make something with these colors.
Here is what I came up with.  As I look at it, I wish I would have done some things differently, but it's done.  And since I have a friend with a birthday this week to whom I will be sending it, I won't have to look at it for long! LOL

The card base is a digital DP from the City Slickers kit at Everyday Mom Ideas.  I inked the edges of it with SU! Basic Black using first a nylon stocking, and then a sponge.  I stamped the swirly from the SU! Friendship Blooms set in SU! Real Red right on the DP.  The flower trio is from the same stamp set.  I stamped it in Basic Black right on the white CS, then colored with Real Red from the Stampin' Pastels.  I didn't like how flat or dull that was, so I stamped the flowers again on a scrap, colored them with Real Red ink, then cut them out and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the SU! It's Your Birthday set, stamped in Basic Black.  The corners of the white are punched with a Fiskars corner punch.  I used the SU! 1/4" circle to punch the holes where I threaded the red sheer ribbon (which I found in my stash drawer).  Then I decided the white was too stark so before I glued everything down, I removed the ribbon and used the nylon stocking to rub some Real Red ink onto the edges of the white, and my sponge to ink the very edges with Basic Black.  You can't see these in the photo very well, since it was after dark when I finished and this had to be taken with the flash.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my first posted card of 2012.  Hope we'll be seeing lots more of each other this year than we did last year! =)

Blessings!

Challenges:
Color Throwdown #173
Card Patterns Sketch 147

Blessings!

I'm squeeking in for The Color Throwdown Challenge #160, but nice and early (the first day of the challenge ~ Yea! =D ) for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge #108.

The Color Throwdown combo:

SSIC scripture:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

SSIC Challenge:  Create a card that says 'blessings' or uses an encouraging scripture.

I didn't have any Very Vanilla, or any ivory card stock of any kind!  (I'll have to fix that very soon!)  So... I used white CS and softened it with some ink distressing using a nylon stocking.  Since I didn't have any Soft Suede ink (I know, I'm batting a thousand, here!) I used a combination of Crumb Cake and Close to Cocoa.  I used the same ink combo to stamp the image, and then colored the flowers with Regal Rose ink and the leaves with Crumb Cake ink using a blender pen.  The paper flowers were colored with Regal Rose ink applied with the nylon stocking.  I also highlighted the tips of the petals and the centers with Crumb Cake.

Challenges
The Color Throwdown #160 ~ Regal Rose, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede
SSIC ~ 'blessings' or an encouraging verse

Credits

Stampin' Up ~ card stock (Soft Suede, Regal Rose); Ink (Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake); stamps (Herb Expressions); Vintage Wallpaper emboss folder; Crumb Cake taffeta ribbon.

Petaloo ~ paper flowers

Mark Richards ~ Pearls

Stash ~ white card stock

A Blooming Good Day!

Aren't friends wonderful things to have?
I've been getting to know some fantastic people in this place we call blogland and beginning to call a few of them 'friend' along the way.

The card I have to share with you today happened in part because of one of these new friends.  In a very sweet RAK, Kelly sent me some stamped Pure Innocence images after I made a comment on this card on her blog.  The Happy Mail arrived this morning and I headed to my scrapping table as soon as I could! (NOTE: this was written last Thursday, when Blogger was down!)

I used the color pallete from this week's Color Throwdown #141.  The image is from the Pure Innocence Blooming Day stamp set and I colored her with SU! inks using blender pens.
I cut the image out with the Top Note die and trimmed off the outside (where the perforated dashes are).  The Rose Red mat is hand traced and hand cut. (Don't ask me why I didn't use the Top Note die for the mat......'cause I don't know!)  I used Primas as the base for the layered flowers, adding DP and Rose Red flowers made with the Boho Blossoms punch. I used the Curly Label and the Heart to Heart punches for the tag and heart at the top of card. Hope you like!

Thanks so much Kelly for sharing these with me! =))

Challenges:
The Color Throwdown - So Saffron, Rose Red & Aqua
Flourishes: Timeless Tuesday - Anything Goes

ETA: OOPS!  Got called away from the computer, got busy..........And FORGOT to come back and load these on the challenges! =((

Credits:
SU! - card stock (Bermuda Bay, Rose Red), Top Note die,  punches, ink
Prima - flowers
Oriental Trading - brads
Stash - DPs, white card stock

I'm early this year!!

Usually I'm running around at the last minute making a Mother's Day card for my husband's mom.  (My mom has been gone for several years. =( )  But this year, thanks to The Color Throwdown #138, I have my MIL's card done!! Yea!!

Here is the card I made.

When I first saw the colors for this challenge, I immediately thought of red to go with the navy and white. This is such a common color combo that I decided I needed think about it and try to give some other colors a chance, so I didn't make a card right away. I've been working on some new product ideas for our little home based business so I sat down with my hook and crochet thread.....red crochet thread...to create a few things. When I was done making the little flower, I knew it was going onto a navy and white card!! And that it would be my MIL's Mom's Day card!

The blue is Not Quite Navy from SU! and I embossed the white CS with my new Cuttlebug Ornamental Iron emboss folder.   The two navy medallions were cut with the die plate from the same Cuttlebug set.  I stamped the MOM in Riding Hood Red with the Lovely Letters alphabet, both from SU!  The pearl on the red crocheted flower, (which was made by me! =) ), is a button from my stash.


Challenges I've entered this card in:
The Color Throwdown #138 - navy, white and one other color

I like these colors!

It's time for another Color Throwdown.  This week is Challenge #131, and these are the colors:

And the answer is Yes!  Blue and pink have been my favorite colors for as long as I can remember.  My group of likes has grown over the years, and I've gone through phases of being really into certain other colors, (right now that is purple! =) ), but I always come back to these for comfort.

'We', (the two daughters who scrapped with me, and myself), were honored to be chosen as the Featured Stampers on last week's Color Throwdown #130.  (The badge is in my right side bar!)  The girls had started scrapping some of these challenges with me when I came across one that really stumped me.  They offered to help me out by making their own interpretations, hoping that would thaw my brain freeze.  Then, it just kind of kept going, which isn't surprising since scrapping is one of the hobbies these girls and I share.  I had only entered my card in the challenge, but the girls' cards were in the same blog post, and as they say, 'the rest is history'!!  We are thrilled to have this honor, and have decided to keep scrapping the challenges together.  It's lots of fun and a great way to spend some time together.

So, now I will show you the cards we all made with this week's colors.

I found some fun tutorials on line this past week.  One of my favorites is Tracy's Paper Flower video, which means I've been making lots of flowers!  My favorite spring flower is the daffodil so I decided to try making some.  I don't like the one on this card as well as the first one I made, but I still think it looks as good as it can for a paper interpretation.  And, of course, it's that time of year when we all begin yearning for spring, so I have a fluffy little robin on my card.  I remember as little girls, my sister and I would eagerly scan the yard looking for the first robin.  I still do that, only the little girls with their noses pressed to the window next to me are my own precious gifts from God. 

Here's my card.

 

Credits: 

Card Stock: SU! (Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron), from my stash (white)

DP: SU! (Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze)

Stamps: SU! (Spring Song, Vintage Labels, Weathered BG)

Ink: Tsukineko (StazOn-Timber Brown, VersaMark), SU! (Choc. Chip, Stampin' Pastel chalks)

Punches: SU!  -  Die Cuts: SU!

Ribbon: SU! (Crumb Cake Taffeta), from my stash (blue sheer)

Pearls: Mark Richards  -  Buttons: from my stash

I'm also entering this in the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge #78: Psalm 9:10 - use at least three buttons.

Here is the one Sis made.

 

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (Not Quite Navy, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla), from the stash (white)

Stamps: SU! (Of the Earth, Weathered BG)

Ink: SU! (Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake)

Emboss Folder: SU! (Vintae Wallpaper)  -  Ribbon: SU! (Very Vanilla)

And here is Cowgirl's.

Credits:

Card Stock: SU! (Crumb Cake, Choc. Chip, Pink Pirouette, Very Vanilla)

DP: SU! (Baja Breeze)  -  Stamp: SU! (No One Like You-ret, Three for You)

Ink: SU! (Not Quite Navy), Tsukineko (VersaMark)

Emboss Folder: SU! (Polka Dots)

Embellshments: SU! (gems), from the stash (sheer ribbon)

Thanks for stopping by!

I missed a few!

I had plans for doing several challenges this past week but I missed out on some of them.  That might have something to do with the fact that one of my little girls had a birthday a week ago, and one yesterday.  And maybe just a little bit with my thinking I can get a lot more done than reality allows!  But that last one is only a slim possibility.  =)))

One of the challenges I was able to finish a card for is The Color Throwdown #130.  I'm really excited about this challenge blog because they choose Stampin' Up! colors for the challenge.  Since 80% of my paper stash and all my inks are SU!, that makes it easy for me.  Except for this time because I had no DPs in those colors!!  What did I do?  Made a mad dash to the local (40 miles one way) scrapping stores!!  But forgot to bring SU! color swatches.  Thankfully there were enough choices I hit pretty close with what I chose.  I'm pleased with the result.  And with the fact that two of my teenage daughters joined me in making cards with these colors.  I'm only entering mine in the challenge, but I've included pics of theirs here, too.

Here is mine!

Credits:

White card stock: from my stash

DPs: Bo Bunny (stripes), Pinecone Press (yellow on mushrooms), 

American Crafts (orange scalloped circle) and SU! (pink mat)

Stamps and Ink: SU!  -  Flowers: Imaginisce

Punch: SU! scalloped circle  -  Ribbon: from my stash  -  Brad: SU!

And now for the cards made by my girls.  This one is Sis's card.

Credits:

White card stock: from the stash

Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip card stock: SU!

DP: Pinecone Press  -  Flowers: Imaginisce  -  Stamps and Ink: SU!

Punches: SU! (scalloped circle), Marvy (small daisy) and Fiskars (corner)

Brad: SU!  -  Lace:  hand made by her! =)

And this is Cowgirl's card.

Credits:

White card stock: from the stash  -  Chocolate Chip card stock: SU!

DPs: Bo Bunny (striped), American Crafts (orange scalloped circle), Pinecone Press (yellow daisies)

Vellum: from the stash  -  Stamp and Ink: SU!  -  Die cuts: SU!

Punches: SU! (scalloped circle) and Marvy (daisy)

Flowers: Imaginisce  -  Gems: SU!  -  Ribbon: from the stash

Whew! What a week!'

I just got my computer back from my techie guy!  (I happen to be a Mac fan, so even though I used the PC while mine was in the shop, I felt very computerless for 8 days!)  The Two Year Old had put a cardboard heart in my optical drive.  Not too detrimental, but we didn't know it was a cardboard heart until the tech took it out!  Dinky-Do had told us it was a penny!  GASP!  =))

Said Two Year Old is turning THREE today!  Since her favorite color is blue, and the "main" color that is part of the current challenge at The Color Throwdown is blue, (SU! Ballet Blue, to be exact, along with a light green and a dark green.) I decided to make the birthday card my challenge card.


I also gave myself a personal challenge. I couldn't cut into a new piec of anything to make this card.  As a result, the card base is 4 1/8" x 4" since that was the folded size of a piece of handy Ballet Blue card stock.  I dug in my scrap folders for some Certainly Celery as the light green.  It has a little texture to it as it was a sample piece used to run some Fiskars texture plates on my Big Shot.  Very subtle texturing, but it's there!  And, I had so much fun making polka-dots for The Lollipop Ladies last challenge, I decided to make some for this card, too. -)  The only dark green that shows up is in one of the ribbons, but that's okay.  I think this is the perfect card for my No Longer The Two Year Old.  (Hmmmmm,  now I have to come up with a new 'name' for her!)

Here's the card!

Credits:

Card stock, stamps, ink, dimensionals - Stampin' Up!

Ribbon - from my stash

Some kind of Valentine colors!

I'm speaking of the colors for the challenge over at The Color Throwdown.  This is the second week I've participated in this challenge.  Last weeks colors were much more in my ball park.  This week's colors (all selected from Stampin' Up! color families) are Basic Black, Real Red, Pink Passion (retired) and Orchid Opulence (retired).  These are definitely NOT in my ball park.  Which means I have to send a big TY to the ladies over there for helping to stretch my color thinking box.  And this is the very reason I have chosen to participate in this challenge.

Here's the card I created.  It took me a while to come up with something that I could live with!  =)

Credits:

Card stock (Pink Passion-ret, Orchid Opulence-ret, Real Red), 

stamps (Merci-ret), ink, punches - Stampin' Up!

Scalloped circle dies - Provo Craft

Black card stock, red grosgrain ribbon - from my stash

My first Color Throwdown!

I have found another scrapping challenge site called The Color Throwdown.  I'm not sure how I got there (again!) but I really like this challenge site because the colors they choose for the challenges are from Stampin' Up!.  The majority of the scrapping materials I use come from Stampin' Up! so this works really well for me.

This weeks challenge was to use the colors Early Espresso, Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake and So Saffron.  The finished card wound up looking nothing like the vague idea I had in my head.  I wanted to use the Early Espresso as my card base, but found out I didn't have any! =(  so I had to think on my feet.  I like the way this card turned out, even though it is a little different from my normal vintage/distressed style.

Credits:

 All materials and tools used to make this card are from

Stampin' Up!

[with the exception of the thread and sewing machine! =) ]

I'm also planning to enter this card in the  

Your Next Stamp challenge #35 - Pretty Pleats.

The card set I was working on for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge has not been finished yet.  It was a case of 'life getting in the way'!  That set is destined to be a gift for a friend so I will finish it next week.  Too much on my plate this week! =)