Strawberry Silhouettes

Happy Tuesday, Everyone.  Well it's going to be a hot one here in Michigan today.  I think we finally have some true summer weather.  I could definitely live without the humidity that's coming along with it though!  Well today's card had a lot of white space on it from Try Stampin' on Tuesday, and when I see sketches like this I just want to fill it up with some type of scenery so that's what I did.  

I stamped the flowers from Serene Silhouettes in Strawberry Slush, then stamped them again with VersaMark and embossed them with white embossing powder (I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to help line them up the way I wanted).  After that I brayered with Crisp Cantaloupe on the top and bottom of the card so it was lighter in the center.  Then made a horizon by blocking off the top of the card with piece of scrap paper.  Then I punched out a 1" circle and cut the bottom of it off and put it on my card where I wanted the sun lining the bottom up with the horizon, then brayered with Strawberry Slush.  I know this pic makes it look like everything is pink, but it's really not.  The sun and center of the card actually match the Crisp Cantaloupe card stock, the sun is just a bit darker (I sponged that in to make it darker).  I'm positive my camera just doesn't like me.  Someday I'll get a pic of one of my cards that actually looks like my card. :)

Head on over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE to see all the other cards from the designers.  Lots of great cards and ideas over there.  What will you create using this sketch? :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Serene Silhouettes & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Crisp Cantaloupe & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Crisp Cantaloupe & Strawberry Slush

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Embossing Folder:  Stylish Stripes

Punch:  1" Circle

Ribbon:  5/8" Organza in Whisper White

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Brayer, Sponges

Fabulous Florets in the Spring

Today I have another card to show you for the Friday Mashup challenge #155. We have a great challenge for you from Avery this week...

Create a project using the Colors " Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder & Wild Wasabi".

Create a " Shaped card".

Or Mash it up and create a "Shaped Card using the above Colors".

   I really enjoyed creating this card since the colors were great to work with, and I like to occasionally make shaped cards.  It's always simple to do when you have framelits to use. :)   Make sure you stop by the Friday Mashup HERE to check out the other great cards the designers made using this sketch.          

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Sets:  Fabulous Florets, Dictionary & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party,

Calypso Coral, Daffodil Delight & Wild Wasabi

VersaMark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Framelits:  Ovals Collection

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

Birthday Pansy

It's time for another Friday Mashup and Holly is bringing us this week's mash up challenge...

Create a project with "Twine."

Create a "Birthday Themed" project. 

Or Mash it Up and create a "Birthday Project with some Twine."

I managed to mash it up, but had to cheat a little to get it some twine on there.  I only have Early Espresso baker's twine, so I pulled the brown piece out so I could have just white.  Gotta do what ya need to do sometimes. lol  I also grabbed the birthday stamp from the set Blooming with Kindness to put up in the corner.  I'm working on more pansies and decided to use whisper white card stock and sponge the color on this flower instead of using a solid color.  Not sure what I think of it yet, so I'll be doing some more.  Never can have too many flowers. :)  

I can't forget to tell  you that I used the sketch from this week's Freshly Made Sketches #118.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Pacific Point & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Pacific Point 

Stampin' Write Marker:  Pacific Point 

Punch:  Pansy

Baker's Twine:  Early Espresso (minus the Early Espresso lol)

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Jewel:  Basic Rhinestones

Brayer

Creative Crew Creations for November

Welcome to November!  It's hard to believe it's already here.  Where has the year gone?!  Just to warn you my first post for this month is a long one since I'm going to combine all of my Creative Crew projects into one post instead of doing four this month.  I tried to keep my projects and little more simple this time.  I like to go all out and need to learn to do simple but elegant.  So let's start from the beginning...

Oh November, the time of sweaters & blue jeans, cocoa & fires, and just about every kind of yummy food you could ever be thankful for! This month we're going to take ourselves a trip down memory lane and remember what we have to be thankful for.

The first challenge...DSP/Color Focus: Since we're starting Sweater Weather why don't we take our trip down that road first. Show us Chocolate chip, Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky, Tangerine Tango all getting happy together.

Since we've had our leaves on the trees for so long here in Michigan I figured I'd use the Lovely as a Tree set using the colors from the first challenge.  

I like to stamp the image on the inside after I've stamped the first time.  It leaves the same image just a lot lighter so you can write over it.

The second challenge...Creative Focus: KITS! We have a mountain of kits to choose from, they make a class or a workshop easy peasy! The next part of our trip takes us into packaging territory, show us something with the Pretty Packages line on pages 158 & 159 of the main catty or any of the kits or packages in the mini catty, tell us why you choose what you did.

The reason I chose this kit is because you can make so many cute things using the bags and tags and add anything you want to it to match what you're using from the kit.  Plus I have an open house coming and I'm trying to figure out ideas for some of the make and takes. :)

Just a close up. :)

The third challenge...Holiday focus: Did you know that November 26th is national cake day? Trip number three is to be inspired by the cake pictures and show us what creation one of these cakes led you to, please see the attached ideas.

I usually like color, but I love black and white cards as well.  Since it's November and a month to be thankful I thought it would be nice to make a thank you card that's clean and simple.

I had to make a matching envelope too. :)

The fourth and last project...Scrapbook focus: The last leg of our journey is to take that walk down memory lane and share a favorite childhood memory, event, toy, or treat on scrapbook page, mixed media project or with This & That!

Well, a scraper, scrapbooker (not sure what you call it!) I am NOT!  But I didn't want to do a mixed media this time, and I don't have a This and That journal so a scrapbook page it is.  I decided to make a quick page of when we brought our kids to Disney World with my brother's family in 1998 and for our fifteenth anniversary in 2005.  I made quite a few visits there while growing up, and it's also where we went on our honeymoon.  Love that place! :)  I think it's time to go back!! :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

Lovely as a Tree Card

Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree, Dictionary & Express Yourself

Card Stock:  Chocolate chip, Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand, 

Soft Sky & Tangerine Tango

Classic Stamp Pads:  Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, 

Crushed Curry & Tangerine Tango

Punch:  Modern Label

Candy Dots:  Neutrals Collection

Decorative Bag

Stamp Sets:  Festive Flurry & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Coastal Cabana & Bermuda Bay

Framelits:  Festive Flurry

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

Tag a Bag:  Gift Bags & Accessory Kit

Jewel:  Basic Rhinestones

Thank You Card

Stamp Sets:  Hello Doily & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Smoky Slate 

StazOn:  Black

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Scrapbook Page

Stamp Set:  Everything Eleanor

StazOn:  Black

 Card Stock:  Basic Black, Real Red, 

Pacific Pride & Garden Green

Punches:  1/2" Circle, 3/4" Circle, 1" Circle & 1 3/8" Circle

Freshly Made Flower Shop

Today I'm playing with Freshly Made Sketches for the first time.  I've been following them for a couple of weeks and thought it was time I played along.  I finally bought the Flower Shop stamp set after having the punch for quite a while.  It kind of reminds me of the flower I use so much from the Fabulous Florets set except I don't have to cut these flowers out!   This card went together pretty fast! :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Flower Shop & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Island Indigo

Versa Mark

Stampin' Emboss Powder:  White

Punch:  Pansy

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Sponges

Elegant Thank You

Today's card was inspired by The Friday Mashup challenge, and boy was it a challenge for me!  Here is what their challenge consists of:

  

1.  Create a project with using "A-B-C (use elements on your projects starting with the letters A, B, C). "

2.  Create a project using a "1-2-3 card recipe (1 embellishment, 2 Stamp Sets, 3 Colors) ."

3.  Or Mash it Up and create a project "A-B-C & a 1,2,3 card recipe. "

I mashed it up and here are the A-B-C's and 1-2-3's of my card:

     

A.  Aqua Painter

B.  Blooming with Kindness

C.  Candy Dots

1.  One Flower

2.  Two colors (Elegant Eggplant & Always Artichoke)

3.  Three layers on my card.

For so many things to work with I think it turned out pretty clean and simple.  However I'm finding out using the aqua marker is anything but simple!  I love how cards turn out when I use it, so it's definitely worth it. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Always Artichoke & Watercolor Paper

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Always Artichoke & Elegant Eggplant

VersaMark:  Black

Candy Dots:  Regals

Aqua Painter

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

Blooming with Kindness Birthday

First things first...the new Holiday Catalog is available to order from. :)  If you want to check it out click HERE, or you can click the picture of the catalog on the side bar of my blog.  

And now just a short post to show you some quick and easy note cards I made using the make and takes from convention.  I totally changed what they had on their note cards, but sometimes I just like to do that.  I think those of you who stamp do the same thing every now and then too! lol

And here is the package all wrapped up for you to give away once your note cards are all done.  Yes, I changed this up a bit too.   Hmm....now who should I give these too? :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Coastal Cabanna, Pistachio Pudding,

Strawberry Slush & Crisp Cantaloupe

Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer

RHSSC - Thinking of You

It's Sunday so that means it's time for another Red Hot Stampers' sketch challenge card. :)  When I saw the sketch I decided I wanted to use a color that I haven't used in a while...Pacific Point.  Since I wanted to use the Window Frames Framelits I decided to make my card square this week.  It's a little busy with the flower added in, but I went with it anyway.  One thing you might have noticed is that I used shimmer paint.  I love shimmer paint and still have a LOT of it.  That means even though it's no longer available I still plan on using it until my supply runs out, or Stampin' Up! comes up with something similar to use that's affordable.  Don't forget to check out what the other Red Hot Stampers made using this design HERE.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Hello Doily, Blooming with Kindness

 & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Pacific Point & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Pacific Point

Framelits:  Window Frames

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist 

Sponges

Pretty in Pink Mixed Bunch

This is a card that's a bit different than what I normally do, but I really like it. :)  It's one of my quick and simple May stamp a stack cards.  I must admit this is probably the retiring color that I'm going to miss the most. :'(

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Mixed Bunch & Blooming with Kindness

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Pretty in Pink

Embossing Folder:  Stripes

Punches:  3/4" Circle & Blossom

Ribbon:  5/8" Organza in Whisper White

Bashful-Wisteria Roses

Since it's Sunday that means it's time for another Red Hot Stampers' challenge card.  I decided to go through my supplies to try and find something I hadn't used in a while.  That's when I found my Manhattan Flower Embossing Folder.  I ran it through the Big Shot, sponged the roses, then spritzed them...gotta make them shimmer! :)  Don't forget to check out other cards made using this sketch over at the Red Hot Stampers blog here.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Wisteria Wonder & Bashful Blue

Embossing Folder:  Manhattan Flower

Framelits:  Apothecary Accents

Sponges

Everything Eleanor

Well, I'm having a hard time coming up with this month's stamp a stack cards, so I'm turning to some challenges to help me out.  The first one to help me out is The Paper Players.  They have a color challenge this week, and it sure is nice to let someone else pick the colors!  I found the colors a bit challenging...I wasn't sure where to throw in the Lucky Limeage, but I'm happy with what I came up with. :)  Not so sure I'm going to be happy when it's time to do my prep work, and I have all that fussy cutting to do though! lol

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Everything Eleanor, Blooming with Kindness

& En Francais

Card Stock:  Regal Rose, Earl Espresso & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Regal Rose, Pool Party & Lucky Limeade

Framelits:  Apothecary Accents

Jewels:  Basic Pearls

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Sponges

RHSSC - Warmest Wishes

Well, I'm back again for the Red Hot Stampers' sketch challenge after taking a break last week.  I must say this challenge was definitely a hard one for me.  I was tempted to turn it upside down and try something, but I couldn't come up with anything I was satisfied with.  You don't even want to know what my husband and daughter were telling me to do! lol  Don't forget to check out the other Red Hots' sketches here. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Field Flowers & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Calypso Coral & Very Vanilla

Classic Stamin' Pads:  Calypso Coral & Lucky Limeade

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Your Kindness...

 It's another Red Hot Stampers' sketch challenge and this is what I came up with...and it sure seems to be all about pink!  Don't forget to check out the other Red Hot Stampers' cards here.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose & Whisper White

Punches:  1 3/8" Square & 1 1/4" Square

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

RHSSC - Blooming with Kindness

It's Sunday again, so that means it's time to post another card for the Red Hot Stampers' sketch challenge.  I don't think I use a lot of black and pink together, so I thought I'd give it a try this week. :)  Don't forget to head over to the Red Hot Stampers' blog to check out the other cards made using this sketch.  If you're up to it why not give our sketch a try...

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness & Hello, Doily
Card Stock:  Basic Black, Regal Rose & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pad:  Regal Rose
Embossing Folder:  Perfect Polka Dots
Framlits:  Ovals Collection
Ribbon:  5/8" Organza in Whisper White
Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Double Blooming with Kindness

Today's cards are a couple more that we made at my January stamp a stack.  I wanted to use a couple of small things from Sale-a-bration so I used the buttons and ribbons from the Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack.  I also gave them the choice between the two different colors...not a good idea unless you have two stamp sets and separate baskets otherwise you're going to spend a lot of time cleaning stamps! lol

I'm not a big fan of orange and blue together, but some people love the colors together so I thought I'd take a pic of them together. :)  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Blooming with Kindness & En Francais

Card Stock:  Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Pool Party & Island Indigo

Sycamore Street Ribbon & Button Pack

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Sponges

Christmas Card Swaps from Lansing Regionals - Part 1

Well, it's time I start sharing some of the swaps I received while I was at the Lansing convention.  There's really no rhyme or reason to the order I'll put them on.  They'll just appear randomly throughout the next month or so. :)  Most of the time swaps are card fronts only so you can get four "cards" using one piece of card stock (yes, I did most of mine that way too).  However, I've been slowly trimming as necessary and adding them to more card stock so I have a full cards for samples.  

So today's card is one that I wanted to show first (with her permission) by Cindy Smith since it was another one of Shelli's top five favorites from the Lansing Regional!  When Shelli held it up I thought, "Hey, I swapped with her and have that card!". :)  Shelli's words about Cindy's card were something like, "Yes, it's simple, yet so beautiful".  It's definitely a CAS (clean and simple) card. Shelli's words really stood out to me because that's what I was trying to do to when I was coming up with my swap.  Congrats Cindy on being one of Shelli's top five favs!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

RHSSC 63 - Thank You

Last night as I was getting this post ready I noticed I now have fifty followers...yea!!  Thanks to each of you who are following me on my card making adventures.  I hope you're inspired by what I create or just enjoy relaxing and looking at my cards (as well as other blogs that you follow).  Even though I don't reply to posts that many of you have written (unless you have questions!) I want you to know I read every single one and appreciate your kind words that are passed my way. :)  And now on to today's card...and since it's Sunday that means it's time for another Red Hot Stampers' challenge.  This is my take on it...pretty simple this week, but I still like how it turned out. :)  Head on over to the Red Hot Stampers' blog here to check out a few more ideas using this sketch challenge.    

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Everything Eleanor & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Perfect Plum & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Perfect Plum

Embossing Folder:  Delicate Designs

Framelits:  Apothecary Accents

Ribbon:  3/8" Taffeta in Perfect Plum

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Sponges

RHSSC - Thank You

Well, I've been taking a little blogging break this past week, not that I've been lazy though!  I've been doing some major cleaning in my basement...and boy does it look nice! :)  I'm using my kids' "school" desks now to store all my stamping stuff in and on.  Goodbye school books, hello stamping stuff. :)  I also left for a long weekend of a little rest and relaxation...while working on my Christmas cards.  I like to take a fall color tour around this time of year and get a big head start on my Christmas cards.  I did make my Red Hot Stampers' card up there, but I couldn't download my picture onto my blog from my phone, so this is coming out a little later than usual.  Don't forget to check out a few other cards by the Red Hot Stampers here.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Everything Eleanor & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Very Vanilla

StazOn:  Black

Embossing Folder:  Lacy Brocade

Punches:  Scallop Oval & Large Oval

Shimmper Paint:  Champange Mist mixed with Rich 

Razzleberry ink refill and rubbing alcohol in Stampin' Spritzer

RHSSC 52

Welcome to Sunday!  That means it's time for another Red Hot Stamper's sketch challenge.  I definitely took a little creative freedom on this week's sketch!  First I turned it on it's side and changed some of the shapes.  I just didn't have room for a rectangle because the stamp wasn't big enough and I layered a few times.  I loved how it turned out though.  Hope you do too. :)  To see a few other cards with this sketch check out the Red  Hot Stampers blog here.

Just a closer view

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Sets:  Elements of Style & Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Cherry Cobbler

Watercolor Paper

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze, 

Always Artichoke & So Saffron

StazOn:  Black

Punches: 1 1/4" Square, 1 1/4" Scallop & 1 1/4" Circle

Ribbon:  3/8" Seam Binding in Cherry Cobbler

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist

Blender Pen & Sponges

Mini Blooming with Kindness

Today's mini cards were inspired by my Red Hot Stamper card that I posted on Sunday.  I needed a bunch of 3x3 cards for thank yous and thought, "Why not use the same set and colors since you have them out anyway?"  So I did, and simplified them a lot!  I just used an ink pad and shimmer paint instead of versa mark with the ink pad and clear embossing powder...and skipped the cutting too! :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stamp Set:  Blooming with Kindness

Card Stock:  Calypso Coral & Very Vanilla

Jewels:  Basic Pearls

Shimmer Paint:  Champagne Mist