Bloom...

It's Monday and I have a card for everyone.  That's amazing since I don't post on Mondays very often anymore.  However it was my baby's 19th birthday yesterday so I had to make her a card.  She tends to like the blue cards that I make, so that's what she got. lol

I have more than one pic too.  Most of the time I take way too many pics just to find one, and if I'm lucky, two pics out of the whole bunch that I actually like.  Since I had a few that turned out I figured I share them with you.  :)

I can't forget to share where I got my inspiration for this card.  I started with a sketch challenge from the Red Hot Challenge blog HERE.  Like I said on my last post I'm going to be trying to play along with that challenge more.  Let's see how many I can do in a row. ;)

I also wanted to play along with another challenge and started looking around for colors.  After I decided to use some blues I stopped by the Paper Players and saw they were doing their tic-tac-toe challenge.  I love this challenge and I already had the blue and ribbon on my card and since it was a b-day card for my daughter I was good to go! :)

I managed to quickly do the inside of the card too.  I like to add just a little something so it's not just my boring handwriting in there.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Bloom with Hope & Express Yourself

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Whisper White,

Bermuda Bay & Coastal Cabana

Momento Ink Pad:  Tuxedo Black

Stampin' Write Markers:  Wild Wasabi & Basic Black

Stampin' Blendabilities:  Coastal Cabana

Punch:  Scallop Edge Border

Framelits:  Circles Collection

Embossing Folder:  Decorative Dots

Ribbon:  3/8" Ruffled Stretch Trim in Coastal Cabana

Sweet Summer Silhouette

Happy Friday, Everyone.  Today I have a pretty clean and simple card I made for this week's Friday Mashup challenge #166 from Holly and I know exactly who I'm going to be sending this card too. :)  What does Holly have for us this week?

Create a project using "Sequins".

Create a "Hello or Hi" project.

Or Mash it Up! and create a "Hello project with Sequins".

I  have to say I loved the challenge this week, but I don't have any sequins....gasp!  Nope, I haven't bought any yet.  So I used the basic rhinestones from Stampin' Up! instead. :) 

Make sure you check out the other great cards this week HERE at the Friday Mashup.

I'm also a part of the Red Hot Stampers group and never seem to get a chance to play along with their great sketch challenges (Thanks, Rachel!), so this time I was determined I was going to do it!  I hope I get this done in time so I can post it before time runs out...I literally have minutes! lol

And the colors for my card come from this week's Color Throwdown challenge.  Love how these colors look together.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Summer Silhouettes

Card Stock:  Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Crumb Cake, Pink Pirhouette & Wisteria Wonder

Framelits:  Windows Collection

Sizzlit:  Little Leaves (retired)

Ribbon:  5/8" Seam Binding in Crumb Cake

Jewels:  Basic Rhinestones

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Bloom with Hope

Today's card is for Try Stampin' on Tuesday's sketch challenge #173.  Such a cute sketch that we have this week.  I used the new Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Blendablilties, however the cardstock is one of the new In Colors...Blackberry Bliss.  I guess I can get away with that since the Blendabilites have varying shades. :)

Make sure you head on over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday to see all the other lovely cards made using this sketch, and once you're inspired why not play along. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Bloom with Hope

Card Stock:  Blackberry Bliss, Daffodil Delight & Whisper White

Memento Ink:  Tuxedo Black

Blendabilities:  Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight

Punch:  Scallop Trim Border (retired)

Framelits:  Circles Collection

Ribbon:  3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon in Blackberry Bliss

Birthday in the Forest

Today I have a fun little card for you for this week's Friday Mashup, and of course we have another great challenge for you and this one is from Cindy...

Create a project using the colors "Black, White/Ivory and one other color of your choice".

Create a project using a "Word Bubble".

or Mash it Up! and create a "Black & White project with a Word Bubble on it".

I chose to use black and ivory with a little bit of brown...ok, a LOT of brown! lol  I didn't intend on using so much brown, but that's how it came together.  However the second part of the challenge did stump me...use a word bubble.  Yeah, I don't have any word bubble stamps or framelits!  So as you can see I had to come up with my own.  I don't really like the fact that it's going to two different animals, but I couldn't have only one of them saying happy birthday!  Oh well...too late now.  So this challenge gave me the colors, but what about the sketch?  I got that from Freshly Made Sketches.  I thought it was a pretty cool sketch because there's so much you can do with it. :)

And here's a close up of my two cute critter friends. :)  Don't forget to head on over to the Friday Mashp blog HERE to see what other great cards the designers made and to take the time to play yourself. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Life in the Forest & Label Love

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Soft Suede & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Soft Suede

StazOn:  Black

Punch:  Large Oval

Prince of Peace

Happy Thursday, Everyone!  Today a have a few Christmas cards to show you.  I know the colors don't seem very Christmas like, but these are the colors that popped into my mind when the idea for the card popped into it too.  These are for the next 'Tis the Season challenge, and I've been keeping up with making four cards each time lately...yeah! :)  Make sure you head on over to 'Tis the Season HERE to check out more Christmas cards from the rest of the design team.  Their cards are awesome!

If you're feeling up to it, and hate trying to make all  your Christmas cards at the last minute why don't you join us.  This week it's a sketch and a square.  

So which cards do you like best? I started with the crumb cake background and switched it to very vanilla for the last two.  Not sure which ones I like better...

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set::  Prince of Peace

Card Stock:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Framelits:  Deco Labels

Embossing Folder:  Pretty Print

Ribbon:  5/8" Seam Binding in Very Vanilla & Crumb Cake

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

No Stamping on Card Stock for Father's Day!

Since it's Friday you know I've got a card for the Friday Mashup, and I think it's kind of a fun one this week.  First you have to check out what the challenge is from Lynda so you know what I'm talking about...

Create a project for "Father's Day or that special guy in your life".

Create a project with "Stamping on anything other than Card Stock".

or Mash it Up! and create a "Father's Day project with Stamping on anything but Card Stock".

The first part of the challenge is a Father's Day card (which mine really is...not lying!). ;)  It's just on the inside and I forgot to take pics of it.  The second part is to stamp on anything other than card stock.  I opted for aluminum foil.  Yup, kind of a weird thing, but I didn't know what else to use! lol  I've seen it run through the big shot and thought that was pretty cool, so why not try to stamp on it.  I have to say the only thing I really stamped on it with is VersaMark, but then I heat embossed it with black embossing powder.  To get the moon I punched out a circle and stuck it where I wanted it, then very carefully rubbed and dabbed where I wanted the ink with black StazOn.  When I was done I pulled the circle off carefully and there was the silver moon.  I loved making this card.  Hope you like it too.  Make sure you check out what the other designers made HERE.  Lots of neat ideas!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  The Open Sea

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Whisper White

Aluminum Foil

StazOn:  Black

VersaMark

Punch:  3/4" Circle

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Black

Embossing Folder:  Argyle

Sponges

Train Traveler

Today I have a pretty clean and simple card for you using Try Stampin' on Tuesday's sketch challenge #171.  I have to say I love the new masculine set Traveler.  I can see so many possibilities with this set just like The Open Sea. :) 

Make sure you check out all the other cards the designers made using this sketch HERE.  

...and if you're still reading I have to share my first small picking of strawberries from my strawberry patch.  Yummy!  My daughter and I sat down and gobbled a bunch of them up.  They won't last long if I only get that many each time I pick.  It is kind of nice to only have a few to pick at a time though. :)

Here's a pic from last year of one my doggies sneaking the strawberries too.  Yup, they remembered and were doing it again this year! lol  My dogs are kind of weird that way and love almost any food they can get in their mouths. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Traveler

Card Stock:  Basic Black, Basic Gray, 

Smoky Slate & Whisper White

StazOn:  Black

Embossing Folder:  Argyle

Blue Butterflies

It's Friday!  I'm always excited about Friday lately.  Probably because at my previous part time job I didn't work Mondays or Fridays.  That means I had plenty of time to take care of things at home and felt like I was caught up a lot more.  I have to hand it to women who work full time, then come home and deal with everything else.  Either that or they have great hubbies that help out.  I love my job and although it's still part time it's a LOT more hours than my last job.  Seems like I'm always behind now and can't seem to catch up.  I guess that's life sometimes.  Ok, after that little rant lets get on to this week's card for the Friday Mashup.  Avery has a couple of great things for us to mash up...

Create a project using the "Sketch".

Create a project using " an assortment of different Pattern Papers".

or Mash it Up! and create a project with the "Sketch using different pattern papers".

Since I don't buy very much DSP, ok pretty much none at all, I had to go a little different of a route for the pattern paper part of the challenge.  I embossed whisper white card stock with eight different embossing folders, then punched a butterfly out of each one.  Then I sponged around the edges of each one with the same color of square I put them on.  This was actually a pretty quick and easy card to make AFTER I got the squares put on my paper just right. lol

Make sure you head on over to the Friday Mashup challenge HERE to see all the other great cards and to play along too.  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Card Stock:  Soft Sky, Pool Party, 

Coastal Cabana & Bermuda Bay

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Soft Sky, Pool Party, 

Coastal Cabana & Bermuda Bay

Embossing Folders:  Decorative Dots, Delicate Designs,

Fancy Fan, Perfect Polka Dots, Argyle,

Beautifully Baroque & Modern Mosaic

Punch:  1" Square & Bitty Butterflies

Ribbon:  5/8" Seam Binding in Pool Party

Jewels:  Basic Pearls

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

'Tis the Season for Ornaments

Ready for Christmas yet?  I'm not, but I'm definitely working on more Christmas cards for the next challenge over at 'Tis the Season.  This time around we have a color challenge for you.  I thought to myself, "No problem figuring these colors out!", but boy was I wrong. lol  I just couldn't get them to cooperate together, but did manage to come up with these cards.  I don't think they turned out half bad, but I do think they're more masculine...if Christmas cards can be that way. :)  

Don't forget to head on over to the challenge HERE to see how the other designers used these colors and to play along too. :)

I can't forget to tell you where I got the sketch from.  It's from the Red Hot challenge blog HERE. However it's not on the blog since it's pretty new.  One of the ladies has been nice enough to start up the blog and post them so anyone can play along. :)  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Ornament Keepsakes, 

Gorgeous Grunge & Christmas Messages

Card Stock:  Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Rich Razzleberry & Pacific Point

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Silver

Framelits:  Holiday Ornaments

In Colors with Lovely as a Tree

Today's cards are a little unique.  I go from loving them to not being so sure about them.  A week or so ago I posted a card that had (what I thought) a great sky scene.  Since I liked it so much I wanted to give it a try with the new In Colors that finally came out yesterday...yea!  I decided to use the direct to paper technique again, but the newer sponge pads just are not the same as the old cloth ones!  I sure found that out pretty quickly, but wanted to go ahead and give them a try anyway.  I love how each time I did it they turned out so differently!  Not sure which one I like the best since the ink "smears" and trees are all a little different. One thing I did find out is the more you use the pad the less the ink smears and they dry out pretty quickly.  I don't mean the pad itself is dry, just that it gives it more of the look as if you're using the cloth pad once you've smeared it around for a bit.  Does that make any sense at all? lol  Anyway, I made these for this week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday sketch challenge, but didn't put the shape on it like it shows in the challenge.  I decided I was going to wait to do that until I know what the card is going to be used for. :)

Make sure you check out what all the other designers made using this sketch HERE and play along if you get a chance since it's another great sketch!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Lovely as a Tree

Card Stock:  Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss,

Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Mossy Meadow, Blackberry Bliss,

Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey & Lost Lagoon

Embossing Folders:  Argyle & Pretty Print

Sponges