Stamp Simply #102 - Get Out of that Comfort Zone!

For today's Stamp Simply challenge, Sharon has really put us to the test! Today is the day you have to get out of your comfort zone! Burst the bubble, unzip that protective suit, step outside the box! If you usually do cutesy stuff, do something elegant, vintage, masculine. If you usually use ribbon on everything, NO ribbon for you! (Said in my best soup-Nazi voice!) If you normally despise glitter, get that stuff out and put it on everything (and yourself in the process, no doubt!) Get the picture?

Girlfriends, let me tell you... this was hard for me! I tried doing a one-layer card with glitter and no designer paper... definitely out of my zone, right? You all know I use designer paper on everything, and even though I use it sparingly on occasion, I really don't like glitter. But I hated that card so much, I just couldn't show it to you! I saw all my pretty Copic markers sitting in front of me and thought about how I use them for everything. So I decided that getting out of my comfort zone would mean no Copics! Instead I decided to watercolor! I haven't done that in ages... probably since I started using Copics. And to make this even more challenging, I had to use a plain old brush and a cup of water! *gasp* My aqua painter is at work! So here is my creation...

I used my good old, trusty Stampin' Up ink pads and watercolored my Twinkle Fairy and I must say... I miss watercoloring! Maybe my Copics need a break? (Oh my stars... did I really just say that?) Below is a little close-up of her "twinkles" and unfortunately you can't see it, but I added some Shimmerz to her wings, too. I also used some tea dye distress ink around the edges of my circle and scallops, and did some silly stitching around the edges.
The rest of my Stamp Simply Sisters will have some great inspiration for you today too, so be sure to check out their blogs! And don't miss stopping by Pat Adam's blog for her last week as our Guest Designer! And what an enjoyable addition to our team she has been... Pat is absolutely priceless!

Barbara * Julie * Janine

Jenny * Deb * AJ * Jennifer

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation on Sharon's blog, and if you upload to an online gallery, use ssnotime102 for your keyword!

Thanks for stopping by! I'm planning a wonderful day because... I got the day off! Woo hoo! I have some special design work that needs to get done, so I decided to treat myself to a day away from work! So, I hope your Friday is as fabulous as mine will be! Happy stamping!

Stamps: Twinkle Fairy, sentiment (Stamping Bella)

Cardstock: Kraft (Bazzill), Bashful Blue (Stampin' Up!), watercolor paper (Bienfang), designer paper (Memory Box Fernbrae, available at Hope Stamps Eternal)

Inks: Staz-On Jet Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), Real Red, Ruby Red, Marigold Morning, Garden Green, Creamy Caramel, Going Gray, Blush Blossom, Bashful Blue (Stampin' Up!), Tea Dye distress ink (Ranger)

Accessories: Angel Wings Shimmerz (Shimmerz), Stardust Gelly Roll pen (Sakura), gemstones (Zva available at Hope Stamps Eternal), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (craft supply).

Color Throwdown #57 sponsored by My Creative Classroom

Are you ready to Throwdown some colors today? Cathy is our hostess this week, and she's trying to squeeze out the last bit of summer with these pretty pastels before the calendar turns to September! Can you handle it?

My immediate thought with these colors was my favorite paper from the Girl Friday pack from Cosmo Cricket, so that's what I had to use! And my favorite stamps lately are the awesome images from Whipper Snapper, so here's Mozart the turtle, ready to show off his colors!
Last week was the 100th week for the Mojo Monday challenges, and they had some great sketches everyday last week. My intention was to play along, but I never really got around to it. But since all those great sketches are still laying on my desk, waiting for attention, I decided to use one for this card... this is from Janette's sketch last Saturday.

I also pulled out another favorite set of stamps lately, my Tiny Words stamps from Just Rite. Even without the border, these stamps are great little sentiments that fit into many designs!

Stop by the Throwdown blog for complete challenge details! We have a great prize this week, too! One lucky winner is going to win a $25 scholarship at My Creative Classroom! If you've never checked out their website, hop over there and take a look! They've got all kinds of online classes for papercrafters!

This is our last week with Guest Designer, Sylvia Nelson so be sure to check out her cute creation, and wish her farewell! And stay tuned... you will love who we've got on board as Guest Designer for next month! Check out the other Throwdown girls' blogs for further inspiration (except for Danielle who's taking a break this week, but stop by her blog anyway just 'cause her work is so fabulous!)

Cathy * Barbara * LeAnne * Broni

Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned... I'll have my Whatchadoin' Wednesday card for SU Ink up for you to see a little later on!

Stamps: Mozart (Whipper Snapper), sentiment (Just Rite)

Cardstock: Positively Pink, Kiwi Kiss (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Cosmo Cricket)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)Accessories: scalloped dot border punch (Martha Stewart), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), punches (Stampin' Up!), ribbon (craft supply).

I {heart} Papers - 1, 2, 3 Challenge

The girls at I {heart} Papers are having a design challenge, and I get to join in today! This is a 1-2-3 Challenge, so if you'd like to play along just follow these guidelines...

1 - sentiment

2 - embellishments

3 - layers

So here's my card, using a sentiment from the Just Rite Tiny Words stamp set, and some My Mind's Eye paper! (Just Rite and My Mind's Eye are available at IHP... just click on the links!) My two embellishments are the ribbon and the button. I also used the Mojo Monday sketch #101 for the layout of this card!

Check out these blogs for all the other I {Heart} Papers girls who are playing along today!

Kate * Carolyn * Cathleen * Deb

Gretchen * Lynn *Megan * Tracy

Loretta * Judy * Lori * Kendra

Stamps: Tiny Words (Just Rite Stampers)

Cardstock: Barely Banana, Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), Lagoon (Bazzill), designer paper (A Girl Is from My Mind's Eye)

Inks: Ruby Red (Stampin' Up!)

Accessories: ribbon (Creative Impressions), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder (ProvoCraft).

DRS Designs Challenge #28

The girls on the DRS Designs team posted a sketch earlier today for their weekly challenge, so I thought it'd be a good time to play along! Look at poor Leonard... he's so sick! Sick probably of waiting for me to get him inky!

We have a family friend who had hip replacement several weeks ago. She's at a rehab center now recuperating, so even though Leonard doesn't look like he's suffering from a bum hip, I'm going to send this to Carol because I know she'll get a huge chuckle out of the image and sentiment!

Stop at the DRS Blog to see the sketch, and give it a try!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamps: Leonard's Sick Day Blues #G1019, sentiment #E1015 (DRS Designs)

Cardstock: Sprout, Red Hot OP (Bazzill), Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up!), cream (Neenah), designer paper (My Mind's Eye)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)Accessories: twill tape (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder (ProvoCraft).

Back to School

As my daughters wake up this morning- way earlier than they've had to over the last 3 months- to head back to school, it seems fitting to post this card I made over the weekend using Susie the Squirrel from Digital Stamp Oasis! Susie has an apple for the teacher, and is quite the willing student, isn't she? I hope my girls arrive at their respective schools today with the same willing attitudes! :)
This card marks my last one as a designer for Digital Stamp Oasis, as my term with them has come to an end! I hope over the last few months you've enjoyed my work with Ellie's sweet images, and maybe picked up a few for yourself over that time. If you haven't, head on over to their Etsy shop and see what's available! The images are adorable, very professionally drawn with great details that make them really fun to color! I also used Mercy's Tuesday sketch #35 for the layout on this card.

This card is another one I completed this weekend, this time using Jen del Muro's Sketch for You to Try for the layout inspiration. Also, my super-talented friend Barbara Anders used some gorgeous flowers on her card this past Friday for our Stamp Simply challenge that really intrigued me! I checked out her link, and found that Dawn McVey has a tutorial on her blog for making this pretty flower! Be sure to check it out! It seemed the perfect embellishment to add to this card for the sketch layout. I know without a doubt that I'm going to be making many more of these flowers! (I knew there was a good reason for getting the Dahlia Nestabilities from Spellbinders recently!)
For the sentiment on this card, I used one of my Tiny Words stamps from Just Rite Stampers without the circular border. Always keep that option in mind when you just need a simple little sentiment! It was the perfect fit for this card!

Now... time to cook a fabulous breakfast for my daughters, and see them head out the door to school! Then, seeing as how it's my day off I think I'll crawl back in bed! :)

Have a GREAT day!

Susie Goes to School

Stamps: Susie (Digital Stamp Oasis), A+ sentiment from A Touch of Class (SU Ink)Cardstock: Kraft, Kiwi Kiss (Stampin' Up!), red (Bazzill), white (Neenah), designer paper (Scenic Route)

Inks: Brilliance Rocket Red (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: border punch (EK Success), Nestabilities (Spellbinders), rick-rack (craft supply).

Have Faith
Stamps: Tiny Words (Just Rite Stampers)Cardstock: Tangerine Tango (Stampin' Up!), Parakeet, Cantaloupe (Bazzill), designer paper (My Mind's Eye)

Inks: Versamagic Jumbo Java (Tsukineko), Tea Dye distress ink (Ranger)

Accessories: Stylized Flowers Cuttlebug folder (ProvoCraft), Dahlia Nestabilities (Spellbinders).

Cupcake Inspiration #21

It's time for another Cupcake-Inspired challenge with the Sweeties at Hope Stamps Eternal! We're up to #21 this week, and Rachel has found more very unique cupcakes to inspire you! Check these out...

Naturally, I had to use my hot air balloon stamp from The Greeting Farm Fly Away stamp set! The balloon in this set actually has big hearts on it, but I used a black marker to ink my stamp and managed to put the image down without the hearts. Then, I punched out these little yellow stars instead, so it more closely mimics the cupcakes! I also added a few silver brads to the center of my ghost flower to mimic the other cupcakes!

I also used Sketch Challenge #79 from Taylored Expressions for the layout of this card.
Hop over here to check out all the challenge details, and to leave a link to your own creation! And stop by the other Sweeties' blogs to how they were inspired by these cupcakes!

Colleen * Carolina * Michelle * Rachel

Jessica * Kelli * Bonnie * Natalie

I hope you'll make time to play along with this challenge today! Have a wonderful, restful Sunday!

Stamps: balloon from Fly Away, sentiment from Butterfly Wishes (The Greeting Farm)

Cardstock: Riding Hood Red, Bermuda Bay (Stampin' Up!), Summer Sunrise (Papertrey Ink), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bo Bunny)

Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)

Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ghost flower (Heidi Swapp), brads (Stampin' Up!), Apron Lace border punch (Fiskars), star punch (EK Success).

Paper Craft Planet - Sketch Challenge

The Sketch Challenge for today at Paper Craft Planet is up and ready to ignite your creativity! Susanna came up with a nice simple sketch that will suit many design ideas, so why not give it a try? Upload your creation to the gallery at Paper Craft Planet and tag your photo with sk082209 so it can be pulled into the album with the other photos and available for viewing pleasure!

My card came together quite fast as I had this Whipper Snapper image already colored. It was actually a boo-boo... I didn't intend to color the whole background blue, but I was trying to cover up an airbrushing mistake, and the colors just kept going and going... kinda' like that Energizer bunny! I just love this little guy, showering in the bird bath! To me, he looks like he's poking his head out and saying "Whaaaat?" so I used this sentiment from a Hero Arts set!

Thanks for stopping by today! Do you have a busy weekend planned? I have a weekend of stamping planned! Come by my house and join me! :)

Stamps: birdbath (Whipper Snapper), sentiment (Hero Arts)Cardstock: Barely Banana, Kiwi Kiss (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah), designer paper (Bo Bunny)Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamagic Turquoise Gem (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)Accessories: ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Nestabilities (Spellbinders).

Stamp Simply #101 - Let's Polka!

The Stamp Simply #100 party is over, but we're still dancing! In fact, we're doing the Polka today! (And me being a good German girl, who grew up with Polkafests every weekend in Northwest Ohio... I know how to polka!) But for your Stamp Simply challenge today, we're playing with polka dots! That's it... easy-peasy! Just create something with polka dots!

For this coming school year, I am the one-woman committee to provide occasional treats for the teachers and support staff at Kelsey's school. Nothing fancy, just maybe once a month I was asked to provide some kind of little good cheer, pick-me-up surprises. So, for the first day of school on Monday I got sour apple candy canes, pulled out my Just Rite Stamps small letter set, and a set of Hero Arts apple stamps, and created some apples for the teachers! For the challenge, I used polka dot ribbon, and even some of my apples have polka dots!

Here are ALL 42 of the treats! Actually, it looks like a lot but these came together very quickly, including all the circles and scallops cut with Nestabilities!
Stop at Sharon Johnson's blog for complete challenge details, and to see her fabulous sample! Then be sure to stop and see what the other Stamp Simply girls have to inspire you on their blogs!

Pat Adam, August Guest Designer

Janine Orchard
Julie Koerber

Barbara Anders
AJ Otto

Jennifer Buck

Jenny Gropp

Deb Saaranen

Happy Friday! I for one am glad the week is over! Hope your day is fabulous!

Stamps: Small Letter Set (Just Rite Stampers), apples (Hero Arts)

Cardstock: green, yellow (Bazzill scraps), white (Neenah)

Inks: Chocolate Chip (Stampin' Up!), Memento Lady Bug, Bamboo Leaves (Tsukineko)Accessories: Nestabilities (Spellbinders), ribbon (Offray).

The Early Bird...

...Cosmo Cricket paper is here! (You thought I was going to say "catches the worm!" didn't you!?) I received some Early Bird paper yesterday from Rachel at Hope Stamps Eternal, and set right to work creating a card with it! I couldn't decide which piece to use, so I used three! I paired it with this cute little cherry tree stamp from Basic Grey (it's one of the Gamma Series stamps available at Hope Stamps Eternal, but currently out of stock... check out the other sets available here!) I also played along with the sketch challenge at Splitcoaststampers today for the layout of my card! And my sweet little piece of ribbon is May Arts from Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply store!

On the inside I added a little more Early Bird paper, along with a strip of cardstock punched with my Apron Lace border punch, and the sentiment from this stamp set "Life is just a bowl of cherries!"
Thanks for stopping by today! It means so much to me!

Color Throwdown #56 with Rubbernecker

It's time again for another Color Throwdown, and this week brings us to challenge #56 being hosted by Broni, and sponsored by Rubbernecker! Be sure to stop by the Throwdown blog for more information about the challenge, prizes from Rubbernecker, and many other details you won't want to miss! We hope you'll make time to play along with these warm colors, and remember you don't have to have these exact colors to play! Just use whatever you have that is similar, upload to your blog or online gallery (use CTD56 for the keyword!) and leave a link on the Throwdown blog in Mr. Linky! One lucky participant will win some blog candy from Rubbernecker, and one lucky participant will be chosen as Featured Stamper, and will be in the running to be our Guest Designer for October!
I honestly balked at these colors at first, but am now thrilled with how my card turned out! I hope you'll be inspired to give the colors a try, too! I chose to use the Rubbernecker Daisies stamp, and had such a good time coloring these flowers with my Copic markers.

Stop by the other Throwdown girls' blogs for more inspiration...

Broni

Cathy

Barbara

Danielle

LeAnne

Sylvia, August Guest Designer

So, can you handle these colors? C'mon... give it a try!

Stamps: Daises (Rubbernecker)
Cardstock: Confetti Cream, Dusty Durango, Bermuda Bay, Soft Suede (Stampin' Up!), white (Neenah)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko), markers (Copic)
Accessories: photo corner punch, ribbon (Stampin' Up!), brads (Gary Burlin), Nestabilites (Spellbinders), Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder (ProvoCraft).

Stamp Simply #100 - Birthday Notebook Winner

I have used Random.org to choose a number for a winner of the Birthday Notebook I created for Sharon's Stamp Simply challenge last Friday. Here's the number....

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

26 

Timestamp: 2009-08-17 02:12:57 UTC

And the lucky winner is Kim Howard, Basement Stamper who left this comment...

Basement Stamper said...

I love your card!!! Your little book tutorial is awesome and makes me wish I had that Bind it all!!

My favorite birthday memory is my 30th. My husband & sister-in-law plotted to have a surprise party and it was definitely a SURPRISE. We had fun!

AUGUST 14, 2009 9:25 AM

Congrats Kim! I'm so happy to get to send this to you! I'll be emailing you shortly to get your mailing info!

Thanks everyone for all your comments! I really enjoyed reading all the best birthday memories some of you wrote about! There were several people who got engagement rings for their birthdays! I saw some memorable childhood bicycles in the comments, too! I honestly can't put my finger on any one special birthday that sticks out in my mind. But then, I'm only 29 ya' know (*wink, wink*) so I've got many more birthdays to come!

Cupcake Inspiration #20

Today is another Cupcake Inspiration Challenge with the Sweeties from Hope Stamps Eternal! Isn't this cupcake just beautiful? I hope you get lots of creative vibes from it!

I'm not a lover of purple, and avoid it as much as possible but I worked it for this challenge, and hope you like what I came up with!
My flowers are all painted with Angel Wings Shimmerz for extra sparkle, and I used some new May Arts jumbo rick-rack that I got on a recent shopping trip! I decided to add just a little splash of one other color to coordinate with all the purple, so I added some yellow flowers and a yellow button. The layout for my card was inspired by another Sketch for You to Try from Jen delMuro.
We encourage you to play along! Leave a link to your creation on Rachel's blog so we can all see what you created! Rachel will post a Top 5 from all the entries next weekend, so who knows... it could be YOU!

See what the other Sweeties have created for this challenge, and please help us welcome a Guest Sweetie, Maureen!

Maureen * Kelli * Jessica * Michelle

Bonnie * Carolina * Rachel

While you're clicking around visiting some of the other Sweeties blogs, be sure to stop at the Hope Stamps Eternal store, too! Rachel has been getting some FABULOUS new stuff in everyday, and I know there's something there that you've just got to have! She's got 6x6 paper decks from Cosmo Cricket, new papers from Memory Box and Imaginisce, new stamps from Inkadinkado, and many more!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy stamping!

Stamps: Butterfly Wishes (The Greeting Farm)

Cardstock: purples (Core'dinations), white (Gina K Designs), designer paper (My Mind's Eye)Ink: Versamagic Eggplant (Tsukineko)

Accessories: flowers (Prima), flourish (Zva Creative from Hope Stamps Eternal), Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder (ProvoCraft from Hope Stamps Eternal), butterfly punch (Martha Stewart), dew drops (Robin's Nest), jumbo rick-rack (May Arts), buttons (craft supply).