Think Spring with Fabulous Florets

So glad it's Friday!  Does anyone else feel that way?  Today's card is for this week's Friday Mashup challenge from Cindy and is all about spring!  Not sure I know what that is anymore since we've been dealing with SO much snow here in Michigan. I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever come! lol  I do enjoy winter, so I don't think it's bothered me nearly as much as it has most people in this area.  Since we're talking about spring let's see the mashup Cindy has for us...

Create a project that's "Monochromatic".

Create a project with "Flowers".

or Create a "Monochromatic project with Flowers". 

I guess since the picture had pink flowers I went with pink.  I used a set that's been sitting around for a while...Fabulous Florets.  I love this set and will probably never get rid of it even when it retires, which I hope it doesn't for a while!  Make sure you check out all the other great cards from the Friday Mashup design team HERE.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Fabulous Florets, Hello Doily & Sweet Essentials

Card Stock:  Strawberry Slush & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Strawberry Slush

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Framelits:  Windows Collection

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

'Tis the Season Challenge #11

'Tis the Season is back with another challenge for Christmas, yes, Christmas.  You'll be seeing a Christmas card from me every two weeks.   

We're on our 11th challenge and this time it's an inspiration photo.  I love the colors of this challenge.  Make sure you check it out HERE to see what all the other designers created, and to even play along if you have time.  I know it's the only way I'm going to be getting my cards done in time for Christmas this year! 

I also used a sketch challenge from the Red Hot Stampers group that I'm a part of.  I had no idea what to do with this sketch until I had to make my Christmas card...then I knew exactly what I wanted to do. :)

As you can see not one of the cards are laid out the same.  I guess that's what happens when I'm up too late.  I started putting the second card together differently than the first one so I just changed them all. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Seasonal Sayings

Card Stock:  Island Indigo & Pool Party

Glimmer Paper:  Silver

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Island Indigo

Embossing Folders:  Decorative Dots,

Northern Flurry & Modern Mosaic

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

The Open Sea

It's Tuesday so that means it's time for a Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch challenge.  Another great challenge this week.  Since I needed a masculine card for this month's stamp a stack I used the sketch to make up my card.  Love the set The Open Sea!  There's SO much you can do with it. 

Don't forget to check out all the other great cards using this sketch HERE.  And make sure you play along if you get the chance!

A quick peek at the inside of the card...

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  The Open Sea & Banner Greetings

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Very Vanilla

StazOn:  Black

Embossing Folder:  Argyle

Framelits:  Circles Collection

Are you Hungry?

Are you hungry?  I'm not at the moment, but having a juicy burger off the grill on a warm summer day sounds good!  It makes me think of the 4th of July for some reason.  I actually made these cards for my nephews' birthdays.  I usually change up their cards a little bit, but wasn't sure how to change up this one.  I have to admit I didn't come up with the burger on my own at all.  I didn't copy any specific person's card, just looked at a bunch of different cards that had hamburgers and put these together using what I liked from all the different punch art hamburgers.  My card design is from another Red Hot Stamper challenge.  Not what I normally do, but I still think they turned out cute enough for my nephews. :)

Thanks for looking and  have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Gorgeous Grunge & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi,

So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral & Crumb Cake

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Baked Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi,

So Saffron, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral & Crumb Cake

Embossing Folder:  Square Lattice

Punches:  Extra Large Oval & 1-3/4" Scallop Circle

Crimper & Sponges

Pretty Petite Petals

Hi Everyone ~  I've updated this post to let you know how I made the thin layer behind the framelit die.  For those of you who use them a little or even a lot might notice there's a pretty big gap between the sizes of the framelits.  That's great when you want to do some paper-piercing, but not so great sometimes when you want a thinner color underneath.  Below this post I give instructions on how to make it thinner if you don't already know.  I'm sure there are other ways too, this is just what I've been doing. :)

Today's card is a challenge from the Red Hot Stampers group that I'm a part of.  I'm SO far behind on these and want to try and catch up.  We'll see how it goes in the coming weeks.  I definitely wanted to make something that reminds me of spring and summer so I hauled out two sets with flowers that have coordinating punches.  It's so nice to punch out flowers sometimes instead of needing to hand cut them. :)

Instructions on how to make a thin layer behind framelits.

I guess I didn't start with the main piece, but in this sample it's a white piece cut out with the second smallest Deco Label Framelit.  I also cut out two of the same size in the color I want underneath my top piece.  Below is a picture of how you cut the pieces up so you can layer them under your main piece.

This is how it looks after you attach two of the pieces from the picture above using the pieces on the right side and attach them under the main piece.

This shows the bottom side of the above picture.

Next you attach the two side pieces.  This is how it looks finished. :)

This is how the underside of the finished piece looks.

I hope anyone who sees this is able to use it...enjoy!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Flower Shop, Petite Petals & Sweet Essentials

Card Stock:  Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals,

Basic Gray & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Raspberry Ripple & Primrose Petals

Embossing Folders:  Stripes & Pretty Print

Punches:  Pansy & Petite Petals

Jewels:  Basic Pearls

Smooch Sprtiz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

Triangles and Hexagons...Oh My!

It's Friday and that means it's time for another Friday Mashup challenge.  As you can see by the title of my post it has to do with triangles and hexagons...

Create a project with "hexagons".

Create a project with "triangles".

or create a project with "hexagons" & "triangles".

I have to say this was a hard one for me.  The only thing I have with hexagons is the embossing folder, and to combine that with triangles?  I tried a few things and did NOT like them at all! lol  So I decided to brayer a scene on a square and cut that square into four triangles and layer it on top of the hexagon embossing folder.  Whew...I made it! lol  I actually love how it turned out. :)  Now you have to check out how crafty the other designers were too, then play along yourself HERE.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Everything Eleanor & Perfectly Penned

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Perfect Plum, Rich Razzleberry & Melon Mambo

StazOn:  Black

Embossing Folder:  Honeycomb

Punch:  3/4" Circle

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Cajun Craze Silhouettes

Yea...it's Friday!  And that means it's time for another Friday Mashup challenge.  Today's challenge is brought to us by Avery and she has a great sketch and mashup to go along with it...

Create a project using the "Sketch".

Create a project with "Spritzing / Splattering". 

or Create a project using the "Sketch & Spritzing". 

Ever see a picture and get a little inspired to create a card to look a little something like what you've seen?  I have, and I love to look at pictures of sunsets.  I've had a picture with the setting sun, these colors  and a tree waiting for me to try and somehow recreate it.  I finally had the chance with this sketch and got busy with it...then I totally forgot to do some spritzing or spattering!  Duh, that's me lately...go figure since I spritz a ton of my cards.  Too late though because I wasn't taking my card apart after I realized it! lol

Dont' forget to check out what the other designers made HERE.  There are some great cards this week!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Serene Silhouettes & Express Yourself

Card Stock:  Cajun Craze, Basic Black & Basic White 

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Cajun Craze, Basic Black,

Crushed Curry & Cherry Cobbler

StazOn:  Black

Punch:  3/4" Circle

Embossing Folder:  Argyle

Brayer & Sponge

Christmas Ornaments

 Well with all the snow we've been having here in Michigan Christmas could have lasted for quite a while!  That's not why I'm making a Christmas card, but it sure would be a good reason.  It's time for 'Tis the Season's challenge and it's a sketch this week.  When I looked at the sketch I thought I might be the only Stampin' Up! demo out there that hasn't bought the hexagon punch! lol I had to use my embossing folder to get some hexagons on the card and used the ornament keepsake stamps to fill in.  I embossed them and used the framelits to cut them out. Then raised them using dimensionals.  I sure had a bugger of a time getting a decent pic of this card.  If I wanted it to be bright and really show the pool party sponging I needed to use the flash, but that would totally make the ornaments look funny because you could see the flash in the embossed silver so they didn't turn out.  I'm satisfied with this one, but I have to say it's so much prettier in person. :)

Head on over to the blog HERE to check the challenge out and see what all the designers made.  It's always a good thing to get a head start on Christmas cards...you only have 10 months before they need to be sent out! lol

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Ornament Keepsakes & Sweet Essentials

Card Stock:  Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Pool Party

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Silver

Embossing Folder:  Honeycomb

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

Lovely You

It's Tuesday so that means it's time for another sketch challenge from Try Stampin' on Tuesday.  This week's twist is to use hearts and/or flowers.  I went with flowers since I've been wanting to use the set You're Lovely from the Sale-a-bration catalog and haven't had a chance until now. 

I have a  few more pics for you to look at since I actually had more than one of them turn out.  lol  I would have just used one of the pics below, but they didn't show the smooch spritz like the top pic, so I had to use that one.  I seem to have a hard time getting the shimmer to show in my pics lately.  Don't forget to check out what the other designers made at Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  You're Lovely & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Pink Pirouette ink refill & Blender Pen

StazOn:  Black

Framelits:  Deco Labels

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Pretty Peaceful Petals

It's Friday and that means it's time for another mashup.  This week Tara is giving us a great challenge and it's listed below...

Create a project with "Cherry Cobbler, Primrose Petals, Soft Sky & Marina Mist."
Create a project using "3-D Paper Piecing". 
Or Mash it Up and create a "3-D Paper Piecing Project with the above Colors."

I used all of the colors even thought it doesn't' look like it.  The stem, center of the flower and sponging is Cherry Cobbler and the flower petals is Primrose Petals.  The only Marina Mist that I used is when I sponged around the Soft Sky card stock.  The 3-D paper piecing was something new to me.  It was pretty cool though.  The only thing I don't like no matter how many pictures I take I just can't show the dimensions of the flower without it looking like there are big gaps between the petals.  Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes.  To see how you can create a card with some 3-D paper piecing and to see what all the other designers made visit us HERE at the Friday Mashup!

This pic show a little bit of the dimension. :)

Here's how I cut my paper to get my layered banner pieces to match up (almost) perfectly...

I cut my top piece slightly smaller than my bottom piece and line up the edges where I want to do my cutting (right side of the pic).  I make sure I tape the pieces together at the end I'm cutting using removable/repositionable tape so the paper doesn't move when I cut it.  The other ends don't don't need to line up since I cut them bigger than what I want the piece to be.  I just might need to re-cut the end because I made a mistake or it's just not looking the way I want it to look so extra paper is good. 

Once I have the end I want to cut taped (don't put it too close to the edges you're cutting or you'll have to get the tape off so it doesn't show once you've cut it), I cut a line up the center.

Then cut another line from one corner to the middle. Repeat and do the same thing on the other side.

Now your banner should look like this.

The last thing you do is pull the pieces apart and when you line them up again it should look like this.  Now all you need to do is cut the other end to the size you need for your card and tape the pieces together. :)  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Peaceful Petals & Perfectly Penned

Card Stock:  Soft Sky & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Soft Sky, Marina Mist

Primrose Petals & Cherry Cobbler

Embossing Folder:  Perfect Polka Dots

Framelits:  Deco Labels

Smooch Sprtiz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

The Open Sea Map

Today's card was for my January stamp a stacks that were rescheduled from last week since we had a ton of snow here in Michigan!  I'll have to share a few pics that I took in our back yard at the end of today's post.  Anyway, today's card makes me think of warm weather, not the cold.  I guess you could sail in cold weather and many have, but I'd have to say I would be a fair weather sailor...if I was sailor (sorry, Dad!) lol  I've combined the World Map stamp with the sailboat and globe stamps from the Open Sea, and did a bit of sponging over the map.  I really like how it turned out and it was pretty simple to make.

Ok, here are a couple of pics from my yard.  We always get a bit of a drift through our backyard because of where we live and how the wind blows around the buildings.  The drift really doesn't look that big in this pic at all...

but this is me actually standing behind the drift taking a pic. 

I moved to the right a little bit and this is what the edge of the drift looks like.  I think it's kind of funny how the wind whipped around our garage and left the ground bare, but move over a few feet and the snow was as high as my waist.

One last pic of me behind the drift.  I must have stepped a little closer to it this time.  Boy is that going to leave one wet mess when it starts to thaw!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  The Open Sea, World Map & Express Yourself

Card Stock:  Night of Navy & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Night of Navy, Island Indigo & Garden Green

Sponges

Happy Watercolor

Just a quick post for you today since I should have been to bed hours ago!  Yup, I schedule my posts ahead, but this one sure won't be much ahead! lol  Today's card is for this week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch challenge.  I didn't do the twist this week which is Red, White and Pink.  I didn't need anymore Valentine's Day cards, so I just used some bright colors from the newest In Colors.  I also flipped my pieces around since it looked better that way with the stamp I used.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Happy Watercolor & Simply Sketched

Card Stock:  Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe,

Strawberry Slush & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe

& Strawberry Slush 

Embossing Folder:  Framed Tulips

Punches:  Decorative Label & Angled Tag Topper

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Aqua Painter & Sponges