Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Color Throwdown #331
Happy Wednesday, my stampy friends! Are you ready for a new Color Throwdown challenge today? Jodi is our gorgeous hostess, and she’s got these fantastic colors to inspire you! I’m a true 80’s girl… pink and green just GO together, right? Like, totally!
Here’s my card…
Vickie had me so inspired with her CTD card last week, so I just had to pull out my Altenew Painted Flowers stamp set to create my card for this week. I used the Mojo Monday sketch #386 for the layout… I completely love the tall, skinny cards! My flowers were stamped with Cotton Candy hybrid ink and Ripe Raspberry hybrid ink from My Favorite Things, and also Versafine Onyx Black. The leaves were stamped with Jellybean Green hybrid ink. I used the LJD Darling Dots stamp set from MFT to add some polka dots to my pink circle that was cut with Stitched Circle STAX Die-Namics, and stamped with a sentiment from Paper Smooches’ Chit Chat stamp set. The Natural card stock base was stamped with the BG Woodgrain background stamp in Natural hybrid ink, and the Ripe Raspberry card stock panel on the card base was stamped in Ripe Raspberry hybrid ink with the BG Gingham background stamp. On the Natural card stock panel in the center, I used the Small Brick Wall stencil to emboss, then sponged the edges with some ink. Behind the circle is a piece of Jellybean Green card stock that was cut with the Fishtail Flags STAX Die-Namics and stamped in Jellybean Green hybrid ink with the Greenery background stamp from Impression Obsession. A few sequins for embellishment, and I was done! :)
Be sure to stop by the CTD blog for all the challenge details, and visit my Throwdown sisters for more inspiration… Barbara Anders
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Jen Shults, Guest Designer
Stephanie Severin, Guest Star Stamper Many thanks to everyone for the sweet comments here on my blog, and on Facebook and Instagram for my Cat’s Pajamas design team news! I appreciated all the congratulations very much, and can’t wait to share more TCP creations with you!
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
“Eye” Think You’re Terrific
I’ve been keeping a little secret for a few weeks now! And the joy of this secret is that it has helped me immensely to get out of the stamping/creative slump I’ve been in!
Say hello to the newest member of The Cat Pack! I am officially a member of the design team for the awesome company The Cat’s Pajamas! I’m totally excited to be joining this fantastic group of girls, and I cannot say enough good things about company owner, Alma de la Rosa! I felt an instant bond with her in the first few emails we exchanged, and am honored and proud to represent The Cat’s Pajamas!
The TCP Tuesday challenge continues this week with the color challenge…
I posted a card a few days ago that I made with these colors, but of course had to make a new one for today!
Can I just tell you… this Aye, Eye, I stamp set is a TON of fun! The set is full of many different phrases that are a play on words, and when you combine it with the Under My Hat Cutups, you can really go crazy. I used the current Freshly Made Sketch #174 for layout inspiration here.
I hope you’ll stop over at the TCP Blog and join us for the challenge this week! You could win some Cat Cash to spend, and also could be in the running to be the next Swanky Stamper! The use of The Cat’s Pajamas stamps is not required, but if you’ve got ‘em, why not use ‘em?!
Thank you for sharing my wonderful news today, and thank you for stopping by my blog!
Sunday, February 22, 2015
You Float My Boat - MFTWSC216
I had another great weekend with some stamping time… I’m so grateful that my family doesn’t mind when I head off to my stamp room for some art therapy!
The weekly sketch #216 from My Favorite Things was calling my name, so here’s what I came up with…
I had a lot of fun creating this card! I used a Lemon Chiffon card stock base (ooh, I think that’s my new favorite of all the new colors from MFT!) The upper half of the background panel is Sno Cone card stock, and I used my Cloudy Day stencil to emboss some clouds on it, then left the stencil in place and sponged some Sweet Tooth pigment ink onto the clouds. The lower half of the panel is Berrylicious card stock, and I die cut the edge with the Stitched Snow Drifts Die-Namics. Using some Blu Raspberry dye ink refill and water in a mini-mister, I used the Waves stencil to add some waves to the lower panel. The sentiment was stamped in Nightshift Blue hybrid ink, and comes from the Sailor Girl Pure Innocence stamp set. For my sailboat, I used Cherry Crisp card stock, and the sails were cut from Sweet Tooth card stock. On the sails I used the BG Linen background stamp with Sweet Tooth pigment ink, and heat embossed for some texture.
On the inside, I added a Berrylicious card stock anchor from Sea Charms Die-Namics, and a sentiment from DC Go Overboard stamped in Cherry Crisp hybrid ink.
I hope you had a weekend that was as enjoyable as mine! Thank you for visiting my blog today!
Saturday, February 21, 2015
A Year Better – TCPTuesday #284
I had a little time this week to play along with the current TCPTuesday challenge #284 at The Cat’s Pajamas. LOVE these great colors… makes me wish for Spring!
I just had to use my favorite floppy-eared bunny for my card, coloring with Copics, of course! This bunny, sentiment and “wish” (stamped on the purple panel) are all from the A Girl and Her Cake stamp set.
I used the current Mojo Monday sketch #385, but turned the sketch upside down so that the ears are in the spot where the flower would be. :) On the aqua blue panel in the background, I used the Dots Cutups panel to emboss, and I embellished with a button, baker’s twine and some sequins.
Now to check my calendar and see who’s got a birthday coming up so I can use this card! Thanks for stopping by today!
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Color Throwdown #330
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Jen Shults, Guest Designer
Amy White, Guest Star Stamper Thank you so much for visiting my blog today!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Life Saver – MFTWSC215/Color Challenge #15
Oh, the beauty of a federal holiday! I had the day off today, and managed to carve out some wonderful stamping time! I’m finally using a lot of long-neglected stamps and it feel so great!
One of the cards I made today combines the sketch challenge #215 and the color challenge #15 from My Favorite Things…
The circle element in the sketch and the color combo just naturally had me thinking nautical. For my card, I created an embossed circle using my Stitched Circle STAX Die-Namics, then added the life preserver that was die-cut with the Let’s Get Nautical Die-Namics. The life preserver was cut with Sweet Tooth card stock, and Cherry Crisp card stock. My card base is Kraft card stock, and I stamped the left edge with Nightshift Blue hybrid ink with the BG Diagonal Stripes background. I added a Nightshift Blue card stock edge on the Sno Cone card stock panel for contrast, then stamped the background with the anchors from the DC Go Overboard stamp set using Sno Cone hybrid ink. The sentiment is from the same set and was stamped with Nightshift Blue hybrid ink on a strip of vellum which was die-cut with the Blueprints 12 Die-Namics.
On the inside I added a rope accent stamped in Kraft hybrid ink, and the ships wheel stamped in Cherry Crisp hybrid ink, both from the DC Go Overboard stamp set.
I hope your Monday was as enjoyable as mine! And if you’re buried in snow like we are here (but thankfully NOT like they are in the Boston-area!) have faith… Spring is coming! Thanks for stopping by!
Delightful Dahlias
I had some wonderful time for stamping this weekend, and finally took some time to ink up the Delightful Dahlia Additions stamp set from Papertrey Ink. I’ve had this set for quite awhile, having always admired how beautiful these flower look when they’re stamped, so I finally made time to play this weekend.
The first card is for my beautiful Aunt Arlene, who is also my Godmother. She took a bad fall a week ago while at the grocery store, and has had a painful week. She thankfully had some surgery to repair a fracture in her vertebrae and is doing much better, and is now in a rehab facility to gain back some strength. I hope this card will brighten her day…
I stamped my dahlias on Smooth White card stock from My Favorite Things, and used Wild Wisteria hybrid ink, Grape Jelly hybrid ink, and Lavender Fields hybrid ink, along with Jellybean Green hybrid ink for the leaves. I then masked the flowers and leaves and used my Copic airbrush to do the background with BG000 and BG10 Copic markers. The sentiment is from LJD Grand Greetings from My Favorite Things and was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink. I sponged the edges with some Antique Linen distress ink, and applied some clear dewdrops.
This second card is for a lady from my church, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. She’s a stamper too, so I know she’s going to love these dahlias…
For this card, I again stamped on Smooth White card stock from MFT, and used Cotton Candy hybrid ink, Ripe Raspberry hybrid ink, and Pure Plum hybrid ink, along with Jellybean Green hybrid ink for the leaves. I airbrushed again, and stamped this sentiment from Verses Rubber Stamps with Versafine Onyx Black ink. On this one I embellished with some sequins.
I hope you’ve had as nice a weekend as I’ve had! Thank you for visiting my blog today!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Happy Valentine’s Day!
For Kelsey, I plan to give her this card along with a Starbucks gift card…
I got my very neglected Bear Hugs stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas out to make this card. and decided to play along with the Anything Goes challenge at TCP. I also used the colors from the Colour Q challenge #279 this week (red, black, neutral and newsprint), and the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge #225 for the layout. On the red panel behind the bear, I used a few circular heart stamps from the Loving Mew TCP stamp set. (I think that set might be retired.) On the cream card stock panel, I stamped an Impression Obsession newsprint background using Grout Gray hybrid ink from My Favorite Things, and overstamped the newsprint in Cherry Crisp hybrid ink (stamped off once) using the Tiny Hearts background.
On the inside I added another sentiment from the Bear Hugs stamp set, and another background stamped with the Tiny Hearts background.
And this card, even though it might be a little girly with all that pink, is for my husband…
Maybe the kraft card stock will feel more manly to him? For this one, I used the new Love Die-Namics from My Favorite Things, and Smitten With You stamp set. My hubby texts me and our daughters every morning with “I love you” and very often my reply is “I love you more!” so I just had to make his Valentine with that phrase. On the kraft card stock panel, I used the Tiny Hearts background, and on the pink card stock behind the panel I stamped the Diagonal Stripes background. I embellished with some die-cut hearts from the LJD All My Love stamp set, some sequins, and some pink and white baker’s twine. On the smaller heart, and the letters I added some sparkle from a Wink of Stella pen, but darned if it doesn’t show up in the photo.
I wish you all a big lovey-dovey day! Thanks for stopping by!
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Color Throwdown #329
At the stampy time I had with friends this past Saturday, I was able to borrow this sweet My Favorite Things LJD Out on a Limb stamp set and matching Die-Namics from my friend Kirsty to make my Color Throwdown card for this week. (Kirsty owns EVERYTHING from MFT, and brings it all with her every time we meet!) I also borrowed her Cloudy Day stencil (because I forgot to bring my own stencils) and sponged some clouds in the background with Sweet Tooth pigment ink. Then I stamped the tree trunk with Hot Fudge Premium dye ink, and added the leaves which were die-cut from Sour Apple card stock. (I also used an Impression Obsession leafy background stamp on the leaves.) I added a grassy border, and a button embellishment, but basically kept the card pretty simple otherwise. :) Other card stock colors used here include Berrylicious, Cherry Crisp, and Lavender Fields.
Here are the Throwdown colors for this week, and Broni is our hostess-with-the-mostest!
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Jen Shults, Guest Designer
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Stay Cozy!
This Comfy Sweater Die-Namics is something I just HAD to have when it was released and I sadly have only used it this one time so far! (Clearly, I'm doing way too much shopping lately and not enough stamping!) I used the Nordic Knits stamp set to stamp the sweater using this card by Jody Morrow as my inspiration. I used the BG Sweater Stitched Background on the yellow circle, and the Cozy Greetings stamp set for the sentiment. My card stock colors here are the new Wild Wisteria and Lemon Chiffon, as well as Berrylicious and Sweet Tooth. On the Berrylicious card stock panel I stamped the BG Gingham Background using Sweet Tooth pigment ink.
On the inside I added some more "stitching" from the Nordic Knits stamp set and a sentiment from Cozy Greetings, both stamped in Lavender Fields hybrid ink.
One of my co-workers, who is a big purple lover, has a birthday this Friday so this card will be perfect for her!
Thanks for stopping by today!
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Happy 18th Birthday, Kelsey!
My "baby" girl turned 18 on Wednesday.... *sniff, sniff* Where does the time go? It was just yesterday that she was this fat, happy baby and now she's about to graduate and will head off to college in the Fall!
Well, of course we had to make a big deal out her day this week and it couldn't go by without Mom making her birthday card. Despite my best efforts, the girl loves purple so the current Color Challenge #14 from My Favorite Things was just perfect for Kelsey's card. Using some new Wild Wisteria card stock, I die cut a Pierced Traditional Tag STAX then stamped it with the BG Confetti Background in Wild Wisteria Premium dye ink. Then I used a retired numbers Die-Namics to die-cut the 18, and backed the numbers with a piece of Limelight card stock that was stamped with the BG Fine Check Background. I stamped the sentiment from LJD Birthday Greetings on the tag with Blueberry Premium dye ink. I die cut Blueberry card stock using the Blueprints 13, and stamped it with Blueberry Hybrid ink using the BG Happy Birthday Background. I finished the card with some lime green twine, enamel dots and a spritz of silver shimmer spray. The layout for my design was inspired by the current Retro Sketch #151.
Happy weekend, and thank you for visiting today!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Color Throwdown #328
Hello friends! It's time for another Color Throwdown challenge, and this my BFF Barbara Anders is the hostess. I just LOVE the colors she chose this week because you go seriously go in just about any direction with them... flowers, cutesy, masculine, vintage... go crazy!
Broni Holcombe
Joan Ervin
Jodi Collins
Lori Tecler
Monika Davis
Vickie Zimmer
Wanda Cullen
Jen Shults, Guest Designer