Fabulous Friend

I love the beautiful designer series papers that Stampin' Up carries.  This card was created in minutes with the help of the designer paper.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Oval All
Paper:  Whisper White, Early Espresso, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Ink:  Early Espresso, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  Vintage Wallpaper EF, Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Chocolate Chip Twill Ribbon, Rhinestone, Dimensionals

Here for Each Other

 

I've made several versions of this card using the labels collections framelits and the best part is that you can create two cards because you actually cut the pieces in half.  This is one of my favorite techniques using the labels framelits.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Bloomin' Marvelous
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst DSP
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Labels Collections Framelits, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Oval Frame Embossing Folder, Bird Builder Punch, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch, EK Success Scallop Oval Punch, Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Pearls, Dimensionals

I'm "Hear" For You!

HYCCT1325 - A Listening Ear - Challenge:  Ears on your cards!  You can choose an animal image, or an image of a person – the important thing is that an ear, big or small, is showing.

 

 

 

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  In My Thoughts, Bunny Friends (Penny Black)
Paper:  Whisper White, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise, Pretty in Pink, Petals & Paisleys DSP
Ink:  Black, Various SU Markers
Accessories:  Dimensionals

I'm Finally Back...

First, I must apologize for not posting since August.  I have made cards for friends and family but never got the chance to post anything for September.  But for the next month you will be seeing regular posts. 

If you follow my blog, then you know that in October I participate in the Hope You Can Cling To (HYCCT) challenges on Splitcoaststampers.  Every day during the month a different challenge is posted to create a card to be sent to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas.  I usually send all my cards in one box upon completion of all the challenges but some people break it up and send them out periodically throughout the month.  It is a great cause and I truly enjoy trying to come up with different cards for all of the challenges.  So without further ado these are the first 3 cards I created for day 1 (on October 1st there are 3 challenges to complete).

HYCCT1301A - Inner Strength - Make a card with inner strength - meaning that a dimensional image on the inside of your card can be seen through an opening in the front of your card.

 

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Moving Forward

Paper:  Whisper White, Night of Navy, Yoyo Yellow, Only Orange, Pink Passion, KI Memories Designer Paper Pad

Ink:  Versa Mark, Night of Navy

Accessories:  Circle Nestabilities Dies, Mini Flower Punch, Navy Embossing Powder, Rhinestones, Mini Glue Dots

 

HYCCT1301B - Courage and Strength - Red is the color of determination, strength, courage and love. Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is the color of encouragement and determination. Challenge:  Create a card that shares courage and strength with either the color red or orange or a mixture of both. 

 

Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Season of Friendship, Big Pieces, Little Pieces, 6-Sided Sampler, Fresh Vintage, Trendy Trees
Paper:  Whisper White, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard
Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, More Mustard
Accessories:  1/2", 3/4", 1", 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Buttons, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals

 

HYCCT1301C- Flat is Fabulous - Create a card Clean and Simple (CAS) card. One or two layers...no bulky layers or embellishments. Keep it flat.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Blooming with Kindness
Paper:  Whisper White, Pink Pasison
Ink:  Pink Passion
Accessories:  Frost White Shimmer Mist



Poppy Parade CASE

 

This is a CASE of a card I created a few months ago using concord crush ink and ribbon.  Here is the link to my other card.  This technique is so easy but it gives a lot of impact once the color is added.  It is better to use a strong color especially since the images are colored on either sahara sand or crumb cake card stock.  The colors really pop off of the card because of the white embossing.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Bordering on Romance, Just Believe
Paper:  Whisper White, Sahara Sand, Poppy Parade
Ink:  Versa Mark, Poppy Parade, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories:  White Embossing Powder, Poppy Parade Ribbon, Word Window Punch, Pearls, Mini Glue Dots

Sweet Puppy

HYCCT Challenge Dated October 26th - Who Let The Dogs Out?

The challenge was to make a card for someone having a "ruff" day.  Of course there had to be a dog on it and also to include pink.  Naturally I don't own any stamps with dogs so I resorted to punch art for my creation.  Since I wanted to include the color pink I had to make a girl puppy.  I think she looks sweet and don't you just love the rhinestone collar!

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Occasional Quotes
Paper:  Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Petals & Paisleys DSP
Ink: Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip
Accessories:  3/4", 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" Circle Punches, Crop-a-Dile, Owl Punch, Blossom Petals Punch, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Rhinestones, Dimensionals

Hello, Dear Friend

HYCCT Challenge Dated October 8th - (Spelling Challenge)

This challenge was to use the letters HYCCT in your card or project.  I actually had a difficult time coming up with something.  The layout and idea for this card came from this card I saw on Splitcoaststampers.  I did modify some things but the basic idea is directly from that card.  Here is my spelling of HYCCT:

H - Hello (sentiment)
Y - Yoyo Yellow
C - Circles (wheels on bike) or Cutting (all of those flowers)
C - Crystal Effects
T - Twine

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Moving Forward
Paper:  Whisper White, Yoyo Yellow, DCWV Mat Stacks
Ink: Ballet Blue, Real Red, Yoyo Yellow, Old Olive
Accessories:  Adoring Accents Edgelits, White Pearl Fabric Paint, Crystal Effects, Dew Drops, Bakers Twine, Dimensionals

Wonderful, Perfect, Beautiful, Marvelous, Friend

HYCCT Challenge Dated October 3rd- Five Words 

The challenge was to incoporate 5 different words on a card.  After searching through all my sentiment stamps and not really coming up with anything, I remembered that I still had some rub-ons from Stampin' Up that I hadn't used.  When I pulled this out the words practically jumped out at me.  So now I had the words I wanted to use I just needed a sketch to make them work together cohesively.  I used sketch #75 from the Mojo Monday blog.

Supplies Used:
Paper:  Whisper White, Early Espresso, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss DSP, Good Morning Sunshine DSP
Accessories:  Bright Delight Rub-ons, Boho Blossoms Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Rhinestone Brad, Dimensionals

Shabby Chic Flower

The challenge: A Costume Party - "disguise" yourself in a stamping style that is not your own.

I've always liked the look of the shabby chic/vintage type cards but shabby chic is not my style and since it took me three days to complete this card that more than proved it to me. I really stepped out of my comfort zone for this challenge, guess that's why its called a challenge. All of the layers were distressed using the distressing tool that comes with the portable cutter from SU. Once I had all of the layers distressed I used crumb cake ink to give it more depth and to add to the distressed/worn look. The flower was created using vellum that was folded into multiple layers so it was easier to punch and I only had to punch out the flowers twice to give me enough layers. I used the fancy flower punch for the main flower and the 5 petal flower punch for the leaves. The flowers were inked with so saffron and the leaves were inked with old olive. Once the vellum was dry each piece was crumpled to give it a worn/aged look, layered and held together with a small brad. I tied a linen thread bow to the button and attached it to the flower using mini glue dots. Most of the cards that I've seen in the shabby chic style have some sort of lace or ribbon but I didn't have anything that looked right so I created my own lace look using some punches and very vanilla card stock. I started laying things out and felt that something was missing so I cut some swirls out of so saffron card stock using the scribbles/swirls die and added them to my layout until I was satisfied with how it looked and then I began adhering the elements together. The card base is a standard A2 card in so saffron card stock layered with bashful blue and Le Jardin DSP. The medallion chain (lace) was added to the top and bottom edges of so saffron card stock with the abstract flower chain (lace) layered on top. The sentiment was stamped in black ink on very vanilla card stock, layered on bashful blue card stock and attached with dimensionals and then the entire piece was attached to the card base. The swirls were glued under the lace edges and the flower was attached with dimensionals. I attached the leaf straight pin making sure that the sharp end was pierced through the dimensional and added the pearls.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Le Jardin DSP, White Vellum; Ink: Black, So Saffron, Old Olive, Crumb Cake; Stamps: Ageless Adornment; Other: Fancy Flower Punch, 5 Petal Flower Punch, EK Success Medallion Chain and Abstract Flower Chain Punches, Sizzix Sizzlits Scribbles/Swirls Die, Distressing Tool, Linen Thread, Soft Subtles Button, Leaf Straight Pin, Pearls, Brad, Mini Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Buzzin' By

The challenge was to make a project that features bees, a bee-friendly scene (preferably with bees present), or the color yellow! I decided to create a bee-friendly scene and combined two stamp sets. The grass background was stamped on very vanilla card stock with certainly celery ink, layered onto almost amethyst card stock and attached to a card base of lovely lilac. I stamped the hive on more mustard card stock using black ink and then highlighted it with a more mustard and close to cocoa markers. I stamped the "hive sweet hive" on very vanilla card stock in black ink, cut it out, adhered it to the hive and then attached the hive to the card front using dimensionals. The honey pot was stamped in black ink on very vanilla card stock, colored with almost amethyst, more mustard and close to cocoa markers and then cut out and adhered to the card front with dimensionals. Each of the bees were stamped on very vanilla card stock, colored with markers, cut out using paper snips and added to the card front using dimensionals. I used the trio flower punch with almost amethyst and lovely lilac card stock for the flowers, added pearls to the centers and attached to the card front with dimensionals. The sentiment was stamped in black ink on very vanilla card stock and layered on lovely lilac card stock. I used a 1" circle punch to create the rounded end on the sentiment and layer. I used crystal effects on the honey pot and a gelly roll glitter pen on the bees wings.

Supplies used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Almost Amethyst, Lovely Lilac, More Mustard; Ink: Black, Certainly Celery, Various SU Markers; Stamps: Just Buzzin' By, Inspired by Nature; Other: Trio Flower Punch, Pearls, Gelly Roll Glitter Pen, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals

Riot of Petals Tile

I'm almost caught up with the HYCCT challenges. I combined the HYCCT challenge of using 2 sizes of any shapes and the ways to use it challenge of faux tile and the color pink. I chose to use squares for the shape challenge and scored a 5" square of very vanilla card stock both vertically and horizontally at 1" inch intervals to create the faux tile. The riot of petals background stamp was inked in black and stamped onto the scored card. I used markers in various shades of pinks, greens and brown to color the image. Once the image was colored I used crumb cake ink, a sponge dauber and pieces of scrap paper (to mask off each square) to add some depth and shading to each of the squares. Since there was some bleeding of the ink in the score lines I used a white gel pen to give more definition to each square. The faux tile stamped piece was adhered to a 5 1/8" square of melon mambo card stock, ribbon was added and then adhered to a 5 1/4" square card base in pink pirouette card stock. The sentiment was stamped in melon mambo ink and punched out with a 1 1/4" square punch then layered onto a 1 3/8" piece of melon mambo card stock and a 1 1/2" piece of pink pirouette card stock. The sentiment was attached using dimensionals. This was a very labor intensive card but it is being donated to a great cause and I love the final look.Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette; Stamps: Riot of Petals, Best Yet; Ink: Black, Various SU Markers; Other: White Gel Pen, Light Pink Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

French Inspired Collage

This challenge was way out of my comfort zone. I don't think I've ever made a collage card and I enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone for this challenge. It was pretty easy once I realized that I had the stamp set called "Friendship's Journey". Most of the work was already done for me. I did create the collage on the background layer but I kept things very soft and muted with the colors and I think that helped a lot.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Crumb Cake; Ink: Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede; Stamps: Victorian Lace, French Script, Baroque Motifs, Hope Is..., Botanicals, Friendship's Journey; Other: Crumb Cake Taffeta Ribbon, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Atyou Spica Glitter Pen, Pink Iridescent Fabric Paint, Frost White Shimmer Mist, Dew Drops, Dimensionals

Butterfly of Hope

This is my second post today because I'm trying to catch up on all of the Hope You Can Cling To challenges. Most of the cards that I've made for these challenges have been pink but I really wanted to do something different for this card. I originally thought I would have the main color be blue but when I found this background paper I ended up having the gray and yellow as my main colors.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Barely Banana, Basic Gray, Sarah DSP; Ink: Basic Gray, Certainly Celery; Stamps: Great Friend; Other: Sizzix Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Frost White Shimmer Mist, Pearls

Umbrella of Friendship

This challenge was to make a card with a friendship theme that incorporated the color pink and ribbon. When I saw the sentiment in this set I felt that it went with the theme and purpose of these cards since the cards are being donated to benefit patients being treated for breast cancer. Sometimes a friend can help in ways that a family member can't.

Supplies Used: Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink; Ink: Black, Various SU Markers; Stamps: Blooming with Happiness; Other: Finial Press Embossing Folder, Large Oval Punch, Pink Gingham Ribbon, Dimensionals

Coffee and Friends

What could be better than spending time with friends over a cup of coffee? Only one thing...having a piece of chocolate cake to go with it! I saw a tutorial on how to make this card here. I wanted to have it look like a coffee shop so I opted for the coffee cups and used close to cocoa card stock.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip; Ink: Black, Various SU Markers; Stamps: My Favorite Things - Hot Stuff: Other: Word Window Punch, Scallop Border Punch, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Dimensionals

Shimmered Butterfly

This is a very simple card but the butterfly image can stand on its own without a lot of other elements. The butterfly was stamped using versa mark ink onto a piece of whisper white card stock and embossed with black embossing powder. The butterfly was colored using a stipple brush and pastels. Once I had completed adding the pastels to my liking I sealed it with hairspray and then spritzed the entire piece using frost white shimmer mist and then spritzed it again using silver pearl ex powder mixed with hairspray. It is hard to see the shimmer in to photo but it is there. The butterfly was attached to a piece of basic black card stock and then the dew drops and rhinestones were adhered. After attaching the butterfly to the main card panel I stamped the sentiment so that it would be centered under the butterfly.

Supplies Used: Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Lavender Lace; Ink: Versa Mark, Black; Stamps: Stipple Butterfly, Wonderful Words; Other: Black Embossing Powder, Stampin' Pastels, Frost White Shimmer Mist, Silver Pearl Ex Mist, Rhinestones, Dew Drops

Owl Friends

Only a few more days for me to finish creating cards for the Hope You Can Cling To challenges on Splitcoast. This card was created for the "cancer is for the birds" challenge, which was to create a card using bird stamps. Among all the bird stamps I have, I really wanted to use this owl. I stamped the owl twice in cajun craze ink onto whisper white card stock and cut them out. I punched two branches in old olive card stock using the two step bird punch. The sentiment was stamped with chocolate chip ink onto the whisper white panel and the branches were glued over the sentiment using tombow glue. The owls were attached with dimensionals along the branches and then adhered to the baja breeze panel. A barely banana circle was punched out using a 1 3/4" circle punch and attached behind the baja breeze panel. The other elements were attached to the main card and the stamped image panel was attached with dimensionals.

Supplies Used: Paper: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Barely Banana, Welcome Neighbor DSP; Ink: Cajun Craze, Chocolate Chip; Stamps: Animal Stories, Cheep Talk; Other: Two Step Bird Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, MS Seam Binding Ribbon, Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Tombow Glue, Dimensionals

Girlfriends

This is another challenge card and the challenge was to incorporate sewing/stitching with friendship. I didn't really want to set my sewing machine up so I opted to add a little faux stitching to this card. I also think the grid design on the green paper looks like stitching and I didn't have to do anything to it. This card came together fairly quickly. It took me longer to paper pierce and highlight with my white gel pen than it did to stamp and color my image. I wish I would have used my blender pen with the blush blossom ink since the skin looks a little blotchy. You don't notice it so much in person but apparently the camera picks up every little mistake.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Barely Banana, Always Artichoke, Spring Flowers DSP; Ink: Black, Various SU Markers; Stamps: Pocket Fun, Edgy Eloquence; Other: Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Paper Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, White Gel Pen, Always Artichoke Grosgrain Ribbon, Dimensionals

Season of Friendship

I don't normally make square cards probably because I'm just so used to the standard A2 cards but it is nice to change things up a bit. The base of the card is crumb cake sponged around the edges with chocolate chip ink and the DSP is from summer picnic (now discontinued) and it was also sponged with chocolate chip ink. I stamped the tree and leaves onto very vanilla and cut that into a 3 1/2" circle followed by a red circle cut at 3 3/4". The edges of the very vanilla and real red were distressed and then sponged with chocolate chip ink. The crumb cake scallops were created using the fancy flower punch. I used 3 flowers and sponged the edges with chocolate chip ink and snipped them apart and attached them to the real red circle. Additional leaves were stamped onto a scrap piece of very vanilla card stock, cut out and attached to the main image with dimensionals. Red twine was attached to the buttons and adhered with mini glue dots. Red gingham ribbon was tied to the main card base and the main image was then attached with dimensionals.

Supplies Used: Paper: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Crumb Cake, Summer Picnic DSP; Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive; Stamps: Season of Friendship; Other: Circle Cutter, Fancy Flower Punch, Red Gingham Ribbon, Red Twine, Buttons, Dimensionals

Friendship Flowers

I only used one stamp on this card but because the background paper is so bright and bold it doesn't need more than one stamped image. I got my inspiration from this card but I didn't use as many elements or layers.

 

This is another card for the "Hope You Can Cling To" challenges on Splitcoast. One of the challenges was to create a card using one or more of the colors from the Cancer Ribbon Awareness chart. You can view that here. I chose yellow and orange because those 2 colors bring awareness to 4 different cancers. Yellow brings awareness to bladder and sarcoma/bone cancer and orange brings awareness to kidney cancer and leukemia. I hope you get the chance to participate in some of the challenges.

Supplies Used: Paper: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery, Greenhouse Gala DSP; Ink: Pumpkin Pie; Stamps: Friends Never Fade; Other: Scallop Trim Border Punch, White Taffeta Ribbon, Sun Sparkle Glitter, Two-way Glue Pen, Dimensionals