CAS - Clean and Simple

This week's Limited Supplies challenge on Splitcoaststampers.com is to create a CAS - clean and simple - card. That means a simple layout, limited layers, simple images, etc. I tend to think that my style is somewhat simple anyway, but since I "had to" make this one simple, it was a bit challenging.

Supplies
Stamps: Mudpie Munch (House Mouse Designs); Sentiment (Inkadinkado)
Ink: StazOn Black; VersaFine Vintage Sepia
Paper: White and green cardstock; SEI - Aunt Gertie's Garden
Embellishments: ribbon (scrap); Nestabilities circle and scalloped circle dies (Spellbinders)
Technique: Prisma Colored Pencil blended with Gamsol

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #71

Here is my card for this week's Mojo Monday challenge. Can you say purple? :) I knew I wanted to use this image, but wasn't sure if wanted to make the hydrangea pink, blue or purple. Since I am also challenging myself to use paper and other items from my scraps whenever possible, I chose purple. I would have had to cut new pieces of paper for the other colors.

The hydrangea stamp is from Anna Griffin. I colored it with Prisma colored pencils blended with gamsol. the sentiment stamp is from Club Scrap. The "Day" in the sentiment really is like that - I didn't make a boo boo on my stamping. If you have seen many Club Scrap images you probably know that they are often kind of funky. It's stamped with purple Colorbox pigment ink and heat embossed. The DP on the left side of the card is from my scraps. I was stuck for one to use on the right side. All my other purple papers are kind of bright and cutesy so thoey didn't go with this one. To solve that little dilemma, I embossed a piece of light purple cardstock with my Tapestry Cuttlebug folder and highlighted the raised areas with Wisteria Colorbox Chalk Ink. I like the way it turned out and I think it goes well with the other paper. I finished it off with an organza ribbon - also from my stash.

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #22 - Paper Piercing

Hmmm...I'm just not sure that paper piercing is my thing, but I gave it a shot. This is the card I created for this week's House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge to use paper piercing. I have pierced the scalloped circles many times, but I thought I needed to add more. In addition to that, I also added a couple of rows of piercing at the bottom of the rectangle piece. I don't like that. I don't know if it's because I made the holes too close together or because they aren't precisely in line and I'm too much of a perfectionist. I should have just done the scallops and left it alone. I decided to post it anyway. I am happy with the image and the general layout of the card, although I think I should have double matted the DP.

This was a really quick card once I had the image colored. I used the Happy Hopper "It's My Party" stamp. I just love that image. I colored the image with Prisma colored pencils blended with Gamsol. I added some stickles to the hat, candles and cake, but I'm not sure it shows up. The circle dies are from Nestabilities. All the cardstock, paper and ribbon are scraps from my stash.

Paper Craft Planet Sketch Challenge - Fancy Pants

I colored this image to use on the Mojo Monday Challenge card that I posted yesterday, but decided to use the flamingo instead. I decided to go ahead and use the image to make a card for this week's Paper Craft Planet sketch challenge. It's pretty simple and I really think it needs something else, but can't decide what. I thought I had a word stamp that said "Sassy", which would have been perfect for the image, but apprently, I dreamed that.

Supplies

Stamps: Fancy Pants (House Mouse Designs - Happy Hoppers); Dream (Technique Tuesday)

Ink: Black (StazOn); Vintage Sepia (VersaFine)

Cardstock: Base - Bazzill Basics; Brown - Hobby Lobby; Bright Pink - scraps

Pattern Paper: My Mind's Eye

Embellishments: ribbon (offray); paisley embossing folder (Cuttlebug); oval tag die (Sizzix)

Technique: Prisma colored pencil blended with Gamsol

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #70

I'm baaaacckk!!! We got home Monday evening, but tonight was the first chance I had to get into my craft room. I missed it. A LOT.

I have been checking out the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge for awhile now, but this is the first time I've ever tried the challenge. What I ended up with was nothing like the idea I started with in my head. I was originally going to use a House Mouse images, but I decided that this cute flamingo was the perfect image for the sketch. I have no clue who makes this stamp. It was given to me by my dear friend Susan. So Susan if you are reading this, tell me who makes this stamp - please. :) By the way, you should check out Susan's blog sometime. She is super creative and does some beautiful work.

I colored the flamingo with Prisma colored pencil blended with gamsol. The background is the Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy folder run through my Big Kick. I also used my Big Kick to cut the scallop circle (Spellbinders Nestabilities) and the little ribbon slide (Cuttlebug). The quote stamp and all cardstock is Club Scrap. The ribbon is from my stash.

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #20 - ATC

This week's House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge is to make an ATC. I'll tell ya right off the bat, ATCs are not really my thing. I seem to have a hard time with that small little space. For some reason, I do just fine with tags though - maybe because the ATCs "have to be" a specific size. I decided to do the challenge anyway. First I needed to get my challenge fix for awhile as we are going out of town tomorrow and I won't be able to do any more until I get home. Second, I looked at it as an opportunity to practice my coloring - and to do something with one of my favorite images.

For this ATC I chose the Happy Hopper "Seed Shooter" image. Isn't he (she?) cute? Reminds me of summer, which seems waaaay to far off right now. I colored him (her?) with Primsa colored pencils blended with Gamsol. Embellishments are a ribbon, tag (stamp is Technique Tuesday) and a Prima flower with a red brad center. The tag is cut with my fun new Big Kick and a Cuttlebug "Tiny Tags" die.

I won't be posting for a few days. We are going to visit family and my mother has a horribly slow dial-up connection. I can't stand it. I hope to see you back here next week when I get back and get crafting again.

Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #50

Here is my creation for this week's Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge. I had the mistaken idea that anything you made for this challenge had to have cupcakes on it - and I own no cupcake stamps. But my friend Susan set me straight, so I finally decided to do a card for this one. It was a fun and I plan to check out Taylor's challenges more often now that I know I don't have to have cupcakes on my card.

Everyone that has submitted links for the challenge so far have done some really cute and creative cards. I don't think mine is quite up to everyone else's, but I'm posting it anyway. I'm really trying to do some things that are not my usual style and this one definitely is not. I was going for "happy" and "springy" (sick of winter already - blech) so hopefully I succeeded.

Supplies
Stamps: "Spring Air" (Penny Black); large daisy (Paper Studio - Hobby Lobby); sentiments and small daisies (Michael's $1 bin)
Ink: Onyx Black (VersaFine); French Blue (Colorbox Chalk Ink)
Paper: Blue and white cardstock (unknown); DP (Rob and Bob Studio - ProvoCraft)
Embellishments: Scallop circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), gingham ribbon, Prima daisy, yellow brad
Technique: Prisma colored pencil blended with Gamsol

OCC Color Challenge - Two Shades of Blue and a Neutral Color

This is my first time to participate in a challenge for Our Creative Corner. I found this challenge a few weeks ago and have been admiring the work of the design team. They do different types of challenges - color, sketches, products, themes, etc. If you are looking for inspiration, check it out. All the design team members do lovely work.

The challenge this week is a color challenge to use two shades of blue and a neutral color. I chose one of my favorites - blue and brown.


Supplies
Stamps: Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby)
Ink: Vintage Sepia (VersaFine); French Blue Chalk Ink (ColorBox)
Paper: Blue and brown cardstock; DP (My Mind's Eye)
Embellishments: Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders); ribbon, blue gems, eyelet
Technique: Just stampin'

Tag You're It - Challenge #40 - Let's Go Stripey

I created this tag for this week's Tag, You're It challenge - "Let's Go Stripey". I used striped paper and some paper with a musical score pattern (sort of stripey). I love both these papers and only had a couple of small pieces left. I guess I was holding onto them just for this challenge. I got the paper years ago. I also used some striped ribbon. I also ran the base cardstock through my Big Kick with a striped texture plate, but that's not showing up very well in the scan. Everything I used on this is scraps. The stamps for the heart and "love" tab are from Technique Tuesday. The black heart mat and the red heart are Sizzix die cuts.

Sweetheart Mice

I made this card for today's Limited Supplies Challenge on Splitcoaststampers. I usually don't post the cards I do for the SCS challenges on my blog only because I don't like uploading the same picture in multiple places - and you have to post cards for their challenges on their gallery. But this is probably the only card I will have to post today - and I thought it turned out pretty cute.


With the limited supplies challenge you have to make a card using the specified theme and supplies listed. For this particular challenge you could use any stamp (one with a heart was encouraged). All other supplies used had to have a heart motif and/or be red.

The embossed heart cardstock was created by running the white core cardstock through my Big Kick with a Fiskars Texture Plate, then sanding the hearts.

Supplies
Stamps: House Mouse - Tails of True Love; Technique Tuesday (Love word stamp)
Ink: Black StazOn; Fired Brick Distress Ink (Ranger)
Cardstock: Pink and white - brand unknown; Red - DCWV
Ribbon: Hobby Lobby
Heart Dies: Sizzix Sizzlits
Texture plate: Fiskars Hearts
Technique: Prisma colored pencils blended with Gamsol

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #42

This is my first time to do the Cute Card Thursday challenge. The challenge for this week is to use something that you got for Christmas or something new you bought for yourself over the holidays on a card. I didn't get any gifts, but I bought plenty of new goodies to play with! The new things I used on this card are the stamp, the oval and scalloped oval nestabilities and a new embossing folder. I also used my new Big Kick to cut the ovals and do the embossing.

Supplies

Stamp: "Spring Air" (Penny Black)

Cardstock: Blue - Scraps; Yellow - DCWV

Embellishments: Nestabilities Oval and Scalloped Oval Dies (Spellbinders); Stylized Flowers Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug - ProvoCraft); ribbon (scraps)

Technique: Prisma colored pencils blended with Gamsol

Challenge Frustrations

I have been trying for the last two days to come up with a card for the Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge. The first image I colored, I didn't like. So tonight I tried a different image - which I did like, but then I just couldn't get a card together that I liked. Sketch challenges are usually easy for me because the hardest part of making a card for me is coming up with the layout. This one just wasn't meant to be I guess. I'll see what's posted for some of the other challenges I like tomorrow and Friday. Maybe I'll come up with something for one of those

In the meantime, I decided to post one of my favorite "oldies." This is one of my favorite non-card projects - a clock made from an altered CD. Stamps are from Club Scrap. I used red jewels as the numbers.

Scraplings

Each week someone posts a challenge in the Papercrafts Community on the Creating Keepsakes web site. This week was for these adorable little cards that they call scraplings. Scraplings are 1 1/4" wide and 4 1/4" long. They are folded at the top. They only take a few minutes to make and they make use of even those little bitty scraps that I can't ever seem to throw away.

The stamps I used were as follows from left to right: 1) Stampin' UP! Paris in Spring; 2) Stampendous; 3) Technique Tuesday.

Scraplings can be used for bookmarks, gift cards, or just cute little notes. One of the girls on the board showed how she attached hers to a regular size card as kind of a card and gift in one. She put a note inside the card that said it could be used for a bookmark. I though that was a cute idea. Another suggested that she might make some for her son to take to daycare for Valentine's day and I thought that was a great idea too. I am thinking about making some for my son to take to preschool for his valentine's party instead of the plain ol' store bought cards - if I can come up with a design that's "boy" enough for him.

These are all the same size. They may look slightly different. I scanned them separately, then put them all into one image file to upload. They didn't all resize exactly the same and the background may look a little funny in spots. I know I should take pictures with my digital camera instead, but I have found my designs actually look better and show more detail if I scan. I am just terrible at taking pictures.

I think I will be making more of these. I have some ideas for using those $1 clear stamps and some brighter colors to make some really cute ones.

Simple Thank You Cards

I'm on a roll! Two posts in one day. These are some simple thank you cards that I made today. I made them because I needed to (Christmas thank yous not yet sent) and also for - you guessed it - another challenge! This one is for the Daring Cardmakers challenge.

The only requirement for this challenge was that the cards be "thank you" themed, but I gave myself a couple of personal challenges as well. First I wanted to use only scraps for the cards. Second, I wanted to use some of those Michael's dollar stamps that I have been collecting, but never seem to use. I see them and think "oh how cute and it's only a dollar!" Then I buy a bunch, bring them home and that's it. They sell wood mounted (which is what I used here) and clear stamps. I have a bunch of the clear stamps too. I used a couple of those on the tag I posted earlier today.

Before I get to the cards, I want to apologize in advance for the corny humor. I just couldn't help it. The first two are going to an aunt that I am very close to and a close family friend, so they'll appreciate them. The third card (which does not have any of the dollar stamps) is for an uncle that I rarely see. I wasn't sure he'd appreciate the humor, so I made his card a little more sophisticated - still used scraps though.

Supplies
Stamp: Michael's

Paper: All scraps (yellow cardstock is Archiver's; DP is My Mind's Eye)

Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black; Colorbox Chalk Ink (Yellow Citrus; Warm Red)

Embellishements: Scallop circle punches (pierced the scallops to add interest); ribbon scrap; computer generated sentiment punched into a circle

Technique: Prisma pencils

Supplies
Stamp: Michael's
Paper: All scraps (pink cardstock is DCWV; DP is My Mind's Eye)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black; Colorbox Chalk Ink (Lime Citrus; Rouge)
Embellishements: Scallop circle punches (pierced the scallops to add interest); ribbon scrap; computer generated sentiment punched into a circle; prima flower; MM flower brad
Technique: Prisma pencils; paper piecing - pop dotted the shoe


I think this would have looked better with a black card base instead of the cream, but I wouldn't have been able to use scraps if I did that. I didn't have any black ones big enough.

Supplies
Stamps: Club Scrap
Paper: All scraps
Ink: Color Box Pigment (Red) VersaColor Ultimate Pigment (Black)
Embellishements: Ribbon scrap
Technique: Heat embossing

Tag You're It - Challenge #39 - New Stash

I'm just having too much fun with these challenges. I used to participate in a lot of swaps to satisfy my papercrafting addiction, but I am really loving the challenges.

This is my first time to participate in the Tag, You're It challenge. These challenges are (obviously) for creating tags based on the stated theme for the week. I like to make tags. They are fast (usually) and let me use all those little scraps and odd things that I can't make myself get rid of. (I might need it someday :) Here is my submission for this week.

The theme for this week is "new stash". You were supposed to create a tag using new goodies that you got for Christmas or maybe just items that you had purchased recently and not used yet. The new items on my tag are the image stamp and the oval ribbon slider. I colored the image with some new pencils and I ran the die for the ribbon slider through my new Big Kick. The "let's party" and "celebrate" stamps are not new - I've had them for quite some time - but this is the first time I've used them.

Supplies
Stamps: Poppin' Good Birthday (House Mouse Designs -Stampabilities); Studio G (Michael's $1 clear stamps - both sentiments)
Paper: Scraps (DP is My Mind's Eye - I think)
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black; Vintage Sepia); Colorbox chalk ink (lime citrus; rouge)
Embellishments: ribbon slider die (Cuttlebug), punches (scalloped circle and circle), ribbon (scraps), eyelet snap (Target)
Technique: Prisma colored pencil blended with Gamsol

Merry Go Round Swap: The Last Three

I am posting the last three of my cards for the Merry Go Round swap in one post since they are all done now (and I have other cards I want to post :). If you don't know what a Merry Go Round swap is, see my post from December 29th.

The image for this card came from my friend Lucy. I'm not sure of the manufacturer. If you knew Lucy, you would know that this is a perfect card for her. I colored the image with colored pencil, the papers are scraps from my scrap box and the sentiment is computer generated. I inked the edges of the image and the sentiment with Lime Chalk Ink. I just kept it simple to stay in keeping with the cartoon character of the image.

The image for this card was my least favorite one of the six I recieved in the swap, BUT this turned out to be my favorite card of the bunch when I had it finished. The image is colored with colored pencil. Papers and ribbon are from my scraps (surprise!). The sentiment is from Stampendous and was purchased from the "Hot Spot" at Archiver's for a buck (cha ching!).

This is the final card. I like the image (I have a thing for collage images:), but I didn't have and reall y great ideas for anything to do with it. The one good idea I did have, I didn't have enough space on the card to execute it properly. That's kind of a drawback to swapping - you have to make the cards A2 unless you want to provide envelopes. I colored the castle with pastels (chalks) and rolled on Distress Ink in Antique Linen. Once again, papers and ribbon are from my scraps. The spiral clip is from Spare Parts (Hobby Lobby).

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge #19: Embossing

To help motivate me to make more cards I have decided to start participating in some online challenges. This is my first one for the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge. For these challenges you are required to use at least one House Mouse and Friends image and follow the theme requirements.

The theme for this challenge is embossing. I chose to use the Happy Hopper image "Balloon Journey." The image is colored with Prisma colored pencils. I embossed the left side of the card base with the Fillagree texture plate from Fiskars. The Happy Birthday sentiment (My Sentiments Exactly) is heat embossed. I embellished with some ribbon and a scalloped circle punch.