Blogging since 2006 ~ Formerly known as Stamping Therapy

Friday, October 22, 2010

CSS Alumni CAS Challenge

Gina K. Designs/Stamp TV
Center Stage Spotlight Alumni
Blog Hop

If you arrived here from Janice's blog, you're in the right place!
If not, you'll want to go back to StampTV so you won't miss a thing! :)


Blog Hop Details:
Create a CAS card or project that contains only the following items and no others:
  • Your design must be CAS - Clean And Simple: lots of white or open space with one main focal point
  • One image
  • One sentiment
  • One layer card - your card base plus only one more layer
  • Embellishments - you can use any number of embellishments you want, but they all must be the same color


Gina K. Designs Stamps
Elegant Post - Nina Brackett (Illustrator)


Other
Copic markers
brads

spiral clip

ribbon scraps
sponging



Gina K. Designs Stamps
Funky Christmas - Gina K. (Illustrator)


Other
SU retired designer paper
brads
gingham ribbon
Spellbinders Nestabilities Label #10
Copic markers


Don't miss out on seeing Joy's blog!
Pieces of Joy

If you missed out on Thursday's Stamp TV hostess Thank You blog hop,
you can find details in the following post.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Stamp TV Hostess Thank You Blog Hop

Tonight we are having a special blog hop
to thank our recently retired StampTV Challenge Hostess Team members:







These 5 designers have provided StampTV with a challenge each week
during the months of
June, July and August.


We have a special StampTV Challenge Magazine Volume 3* located on the Freebie Tab, where all of their challenges are shared in a download PDF that you can save to your computer and print out at your leisure!


Please join in our Thank You Discussion on Stamp TV and feel free to play along
and say thank you with your own take on one of their challenges!!



The challenge I chose for this hop is
a
Christmas challenge hostessed by Giovanna...

"Show me your Christmas style"



I love to make detailed and embellished one-of-a-kind Christmas cards, but when it gets closer to the holiday season and it's actually time to get them in the mailbox, mass production to finish enough of them is a must. I love the clean & simple style (no big surprise there :) and using it with Christmas images can make a very elegant creation with minimal ink, products, and time.



Gina K. Designs Stamps
Vintage Borders - Nina Brackett
Seasonal Sayings - Gina K.


Other
SU wild wasabi CS and ink
SU white organza ribbon
Martha Stewart lace border punch

DCWV vintage Christmas designer paper was used
to highlight the card in the photos.

*****************************

You have finished tonight's blog hop.
I'm confident you loved it as much as we did!

If you just happened to visit my blog without knowing about the hop,
you can start at the beginning by visiting Lee's blog.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

October 19 - A Day of Joy and Peace for Miss Boo

Double Challenge

StampTV Sketch Challenge

Christian Paper Crafts Color Challenge
(Baby Blue and Yellow)

These colors are in honor of my sons. My 15 year old son, born on July 6, 1995, weighing a mere 1 pound and 4 ounces, came home from the hospital on October 19. His favorite color is yellow. I know it's unusual, but he has high-functioning autism and he's been firm on that for a long time. On October 19, 2000, I delivered a premature stillborn baby boy. His first name was decided by my oldest son and his middle name comes from my dad. So, as hostess of the CPC color challenge, and in memory of my little boy in Heaven, I thought a traditional baby boy blue would be nice with the color yellow.



GKD Stamps: Oh Baby (Rupa Shevde)
Paper: white, bashful blue, so saffron, barely banana, SU so saffron dsp
Ink: Adirondack black, SU brocade blue, Copic markers (B93 light crockery blue, Y21 buttercup yellow, E30 bisque)
Tools & Accessories: Cuttlebug houndstooth EF, gingham ribbon, pop-up dots, CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circle die
Size: 4.25 square
Envelope size: 4.5 (A Muse)

Friday, October 8, 2010

CSS Alumni Sketch Challenge

Gina K. Designs/Stamp TV
Center Stage Spotlight Alumni
Blog Hop

If you arrived here from Giovana's Blog, you're in the right place!
If not, you'll want to go back to StampTV so you won't miss a thing! :)



Blog Hop Details:
Create a card or project using the sketch above. This sketch was
based on a card made by Deb Felts which you can see here.



In the close-up photo below, you can get a better view of the details. I used a scrap piece of pumpkin card stock that had been previously embossing using a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and used it to mat my main image. It was just a random spur of the moment thing as I spotted in on my very messy craft table. I like it when something spontaneous happens and I like the end results *_* Two of the flowers and one leaf are popped up on pop-up dots of varying widths. This card measures just smaller than 5x5 square. It fits better in my envelopes that way.




Gina K Designs Stamps
Signs of Autumn
(2009 Stamp Kit)

Other:
Copic Markers
SU pumpkin pie grosgrain ribbon
circle punch, brads
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
Pop-Up dots
SU designer paper
SU pumpkin pie & garden green CS

Copic Markers:
Y08 Acid Yellow
E37 Sepia
YG67 Moss


Don't miss out on seeing Jennie's blog!
Stampin' the Day Away

Monday, October 4, 2010

At the Apple Orchard

Here's a card that I made for my mom
who visited with homemade applesauce, yesterday!


Splitcoast CAS Technique Challenge 87
Faux Letterpress

Christian Paper Crafts Color Challenge
At the Apple Orchard: red, brown, white or cream
(optional orange or green)

Making this card turned out to be an adventure. Ugh! I found out that using brown ink on white cardstock for the faux letterpress technique was pretty tricky and finally gave up on it being perfect. (You can see stray ink marks.) Next, I had my image all colored and then when I was cutting it out with the cutting system, the blade slipped. I wanted to cry because I was in no mood to color it again after all of my time being used with the embossing folder. It really is a cool and easy technique. I just won't be using brown on white again. *_^ So, in order not to waste my great image, I decided to cut it out and pop it up on dimensionals. And then... yep, I encountered another challenge. After I cut out another circle with my new image, it took me over 5 minutes to figure out where I set down my original image. I guess I wasn't having a very productive night. LOL! In the end, I'm not sure this turned out to be as CAS as I was hoping for although it isn't overly busy and embellished either. Here's the link I found for a great tutorial on StampTV. It's titled Inking a Cuttlebug Folder.

Recipe

Stamps: apples (Gina K Designs), grass (DRS Designs)
Paper: chocolate chip, real red
Ink: chocolate chip, wils wasabi, Adirondack black, Copic markers
(E74 cocoa brown, E71 champagne, R29 lipstick red, Y08 acid yellow, YG67 moss)
Tools & Accessories: gingham ribbon, pop-up dots, CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circles, Cuttlebug perfectly paisley EF
Techniques: Clean & Simple, Faux Letterpress

Monday, September 27, 2010

CAS & Color Challenges

SCS Clean & Simple Challenge
Sketch inspired by cookiebaker

Christian Paper Crafts
Color Challenge: browns & blues + white or cream

Stamps: Unity
Paper: bashful blue, chocolate chip, kraft, white
Ink: Palette burnt umber, Copic marker B93 light crockery blue
Tools & Accessories: SU Lattice EF, white taffeta ribbon, pop-up dots

Friday, September 24, 2010

Cupcake Inspiration Blog Hop

Gina K. Designs/Stamp TV
Center Stage Spotlight Alumni
Blog Hop

If you arrived here from, Janice's Blog, you're in the right place!
If not, you'll want to go back to StampTV so you won't miss a thing! :)


Blog Hop Details
Make a card or project using the image below as your inspiration.



Gina K. Designs Stamp Sets
Sweetest Blessings (Illustrator ~ Gina K.)
Aloha (illustrator ~ Theresa Momber)

Gina K. Designs Cardstock
Bubblegum Pink
Chocolate Brown

Other
Copic Markers
SU Taffeta Ribbon
White gel pen



I colored the images using Copic markers.
I used a white gel pen, also.

R81 Rose Pink
R83 Rose Mist
YG13 Chartreuse
RV29 Crimson
E31 Brick Beige
E33 Sand
E37 Sepia


Don't miss out on seeing Joy's blog!
Pieces of Joy

Monday, September 20, 2010

Double Challenge


SCS Clean & Simple Color Challenge
kraft, red, vanilla/cream, & brown (optional orange)
(I goofed and used white instead of cream.)

Gina K. Design Design Team Challenge:
Favorite Fall Memories

I love going to the orchard in the fall. I love all the activities that come with the season. But the one thing I do every year is take time to enjoy the beauty. It's amazing how fast it comes and goes. One week I can be driving to work wishing all the leaves would hurry up and change. The next week, I have to be aware to make sure I'm not daydreaming and driving on automatic pilot because the in the following week all of the leaves will be on the ground.

For as long as I can remember, my grandma did not like this season. To her it symbolized dying. It was alarming to me. It's something I heard years and years ago and to enjoy the season I had to turn all the beauty into a positive image. So, as I enjoy God's handiwork, I think about how this season reminds me that we need to take time to rest. Spring will come and summer will be ridiculously busy. Fall is a nice time to rest.

Grandma is 89 years old!

Enjoy the colors!

Stamps: Picture It, Organize It, Lovely Labels (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: kraft, chocolate, white, cherry cobbler
Ink: close to cocoa, cherry cobbler, peach parfait
Accessories & Tools: ribbon, SU lattice EF, pop-up dots

Sunday, September 12, 2010

SCS Featured Stamper Inspired


Hauntingly Sweet

SCS Featured Stamper: Die Cut Diva

Congrats Terri! I love your CAS cards and I was thrilled to see you in the DT search. I've linked a few of your cards in the post below.

The elegant card I CASEd can be found here. This was a popular card to CASE, today. I've added links at the bottom under the recipe for my card.

I kept the same layout. I was originally going to go with different flowers and the same elegant look, but ast this time of year, I'm trying to use my fall and Halloween stamps so they just get used. LOL! I used the same layout, moved the sentiment, changed the colors and edge punch and added a green layer so it wasn't just the standard orange and black Halloween card. I love this whispy Halloween tree from Unity.

Stamps: Hauntingly Sweet (Unity)
Paper: SU pear pizzazz, GKD sweet mango
(SU peach parfait & GKD sweet mango are an exact match in my eyes.)
Ink: Adirondack pitch black
Accessories & Tools: Martha Stewart Drippy Goo border punch, ribbon (unknown)

More CASEd cards by SCS stampers using Terri's beautiful card for inspiration:

hskelly
Itsapassion
Grandma Overboard

Featured Stamper Favorites (9/12/10)

SCS Featured Stamper: Die Cut Diva

I love her work! Here are just a few of her awesome creations.

I've Been Thinking about You double challenge (CAS)
STV sketch challenge (CAS)
Merry & Bright (CAS)
Pumpkin Mojo Sketch
It's All about the Bag CAS DT search (CAS)
Teacher's Pet CAS DT Search (CAS)
CHA Envy 1
Accent Color Challenge
May the Wind be ever at your back - masculine card
Oh Happy Day! (CAS)
Swirly Birthday Card (CAS)
Happy Birthday (CAS)
Featured Stamper Birthday Card (CAS)
Welcome Baby (CAS)
Mojo Happy Father's Day
Framed Flowers



Friday, September 10, 2010

Color Challenge 4 CSS Blog Hop

Gina K. Designs/Stamp TV
Center Stage Spotlight Alumni

If you arrived here from, Giovana's blog, you're in the right place!
If not, you'll want to go back to StampTV so you won't miss a thing! :)

Blog Hop Details:
With fall just around the corner, how about this color combo:
  • Orange (Sweet Mango or Pumpkin Spice)
  • Red (Cranberry Tart, Rocket Red, or Red Hot)
  • Brown (Chocolate, Tan Leather, Kraft, Soft Sand
  • ONE Neutral Color from the following: White or Ivory
I love this color combo so much that I made a bookmark and 2 cards!

When I first bought this stamp set, I had no idea I would be using it with autumn colors. I'm glad I tried it with this challenge because I love the look.

GKD Stamp Set: Botanicals
GKD Cardstock: cranberry tart, sweet mango

SU ink: crumb cake, peach parfait, cherry cobbler, chocolate chip
SU ribbon: riding hood red & kraft taffeta ribbon
Other: eyelet



This is the simpler of the two card designs ~ "Happy for You"

GKD Stamp Set: Autumn Beauty (Illustrator - Theresa Momber)
GKD Stamp Set 4 the sentiment: Botanicals
GKD Cardstock: cranberry tart

SU Cardstock: close to cocoa
SU designer paper: Sweet & Sour Specialty
SU ink: peach parfait, cherry cobbler
Other: circle punches, eyelets, Offray ribbon, Copic markers


I just happened to run across this matching Prima flower by mistake when looking for brads. Why it was with the brads is a mystery to me. LOL! The side of the cart is popped up on a thin dimensional, the bottom left pumpkin is popped up with a thin dimensional, and the bottom center pumpkin is popped up on a thick dimensional.

GKD Stamp Set: Autumn Beauty (Illustrator - Theresa Momber)
GKD Cardstock: cranberry tart, sweet mango

SU: chocolate chip cardstock, creamy caramel ink (for sponging), Lattice embossing folder, word window, modern label, and scallop border punches, whisper white taffeta ribbon
Other: Prima flower, brads, unknown gingham ribbon

Don't miss out on seeing Joan's Blog!
~ Stamping with Passion

Monday, September 6, 2010

Sketch Inspired by resqbarbie


CAS Sketch Challenge inspired by
CAS co-hostess - resqbarbie (Denise)

Stamps: Coast to Coast (Stampin' Up), Guiding Light, Gifts from the Sea (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: Naturals Ivory, Chocolate Chip (SU)
Ink: early espresso, Copic marker E71
Accessories: very vanilla taffeta ribbon, dimensionals

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Favorites - Lots of Clean & Simple

Here are a few awesome cards I was lucky to see in the gallery!

criminal grace (CAS)
ctorina (CAS)
vdutchr (CAS)
LaLatty
resqbarbie (CAS)
kstamper (CAS)
dawnmercedes (CAS)
cullenwr (CAS)
Beate
angelladcrockett
ravengirl (CAS)
cookiebaker (CAS)
LateBlossom (CAS)
Misstreez (CAS)
Biggan (CAS)
cindybstampin (CAS)
ltecler (CAS)

CASEing the Featured Stamper

SCS Featured Stamper: stampingout

* I changed the colors.
* Instead of using a heart charm, I stamped the heart in the set. The heart is popped up.
* I used a border stamp instead of a punch border. Because I did that, I had to add a layer to my base card. It didn't quite extend all the way across.

Here's Emily's beautiful card.

Stamps: Music of my Heart (Unity/Ippity), Unity June 2010 KOTM
CS: early espresso, pear pizzazz, white
Ink: close to cocoa, cameo coral
Accessories: American Crafts ribbon, pop-up dots

In the post below, I have linked some of my favorite Emily cards!

Featured Stamper Favorites (9/05/10)

SCS Featured Stamper: stampingout (Emily)
Emily just finished the summer season on the CAS design team. She is very talented. Here are just a few of my favorites from her gallery:

Welcome to the Neighborhood (CAS)
Thank You Flowers (CAS)
Sweet Strawberry
Birthday Wishes (CAS)
Trust in the Lord (CAS)
Happy Thanksgiving
Back to School (CAS)
Christmas Owls (CAS)
CAS Peacock (CAS)
One Quiet House
Sweet!
Pretty Posies
Children
Bird Song
Berry Best
D0-Over (CAS)
Embrace Life (CAS)
FS75 - Stephanie's Dots (CAS)
Party Animals (CAS)
Birthday Numbers (CAS)

GKD Release Party Challenges

Last week's Gina K. Designs release party challenges were indeed challenging. I wasn't one of the lucky random winners of a free set this time, but I made some great things!

I did have a question about how I made the post-it-note holder. I'll try and find time for a tutorial on that. Wish me luck!



Gina K. Designs
Release Party 3-D Challenge

I altered a spiral notebook and made a matching post-it-note holder and R.S.V.P. pen. Almost all of the ribbons came from my scrap box. You can see photos in the post below.

GKD Stamps:
Bug me Anytime (Nina Brackett)
Organize It (Gina K.)
Picture It (Gina K.)
Gifts from the Sea (Melanie Muenchinger - used the sand for sprinkles)

October Afternoon dp - Ice Cream
Stampin' Up! dp - Sunny Garden

Other: SU poppy parade CS, black & white CS, CM custom cutting system, SU wild wasabi ink, Copic markers, various ribbons from my scrap bin.


Gina K. Designs Release Party Challenge #2
Challenge - Highlighting With Nestabilities

Stamps: Guiding Light (Rupa Shevde)
CS: wild wasabi, chocolate chip (SU)
Ink: black, espresso, wild wasabi, cool caribbean, Copic markers
Accessories: Michael's ribbon, paper piercer, Lattice EF (SU), Swiss Dots EF (Cuttlebug), Spellbinders Nestabilities
Techniques: Highlighting With Nestabilities, faux stitching

Double Challenge

CAS Challenge DT Search Sample for the Finalists
Challenge #3: Something on your card needs to be 'a couple.'

Examples:
2 brads
2 ribbon ties
2 eyelets that could possibly be used to thread twine through
2 of the same image whether it be side-by-side or masked.
You could also use an amage that has 2 of something: a wedding couple,
2 pets cuddling each other, 2 birds in a nest, etc.

Gina K. Designs Release Party Challenge #1
Color Challenge Details: Color Options: Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, and white (choose any 3 for your card)

GKD Stamps: Spring has Sprung (Rupa Shevde), Tag Lines (Gina)
CS: Lemon Drop CS (GKD), Wild Wasabi CS (SU)
Ink: Momento black, wild wasabi, bashful blue, Copic markers
Accessories: ribbon, brads, pop-up dots
Techniques: CAS, sponging

Storage: Loose Ribbons & Colored Images

Guess what? I have too much stuff!!! LOL! I bet you do, too. *wink*


I color images just to color sometimes. I find it very relaxing. Some of these images I colored 2 summers ago. I'm not kidding. They get put in old SU stamp storage plastic boxes. It was handy for storage, but I wasn't using them. So, I decided to use some of my teacher equipment that was no longer being used in my classroom. These blue wall hangars are called pocket charts. The pockets are clear.


This pocket chart is bigger and also holds embossing folders. Not pictured is another pocket chart that holds my nestabilities dies and more... can yo guess?... yes, colored images. Pictured below the embossing folders are rolls and rolls of ribbon. I love ribbon! There's more not pictured. But not all of my ribbon comes on rolls. Look below.


Above and Below: I used plastic wall hangers to hold longer ribbons. If I don't remember to close the door to my craft room, the cats have a party. So that's the one down fall to this. But now I remember what I have so it gets used. Yay!

Pictured below is one of my cats. She likes my ribbon! :) The little container on the left holds ribbons that are just big enough to tie on a spiral clip or notebook. The larger container holds ribbons big enough to tie a bow or wrap around a card for a knot tie. They range from 9" to 14".

Switching into a smaller room has been a chore. I'm getting closer to being done though. It's hard to stamp when everything isn't in its place. Sigh.

Stampendous

It's been awhile since I've used my Stampendous Happy Bee and Changito images. They are so cute! I'm glad that these CAS challenges inspired me to use them.


CAS Inspiration Challenge: Inspired by the word "Delicious"

Stamps: Happy Bee (Stampendous), Happy 4th (Stamping' Up)
Paper: riding hood red, black, white, gingham dp (Creative Memories)
Ink: black, cherry cobbler, Copic markers
Tools & Accessories: Spellbinders Nestabilities, circle punch, SU's scallop border punch, dimensionals




Couples' CAS Finalist challenge (Fall 2010 DT Search).

Stamps: Changitos (Stampendous), sentiment (Stampin' Up!)
CS: white, real red
Ink: black, Copic markers
Accessories: ribbon, SU wide oval punch

New CAS Fall 2010 Design Team!

Wow! I've been so busy! The Fall 2010 DT search ended on Thursday. As usual, it was excruciatingly difficult judging. I'm hoping that all of our CAS stampers continue to come back every season.

Here are our 3 new CAS design team members:

cookiebaker

kstamper

ltecler

Monday, August 30, 2010

Black & White


Wow, wow, wow! You did amazing things with last week's colors (last week on both CPC and SCS)! This is my sample card for the Color Monday challenge on Christian Paper Crafts today. I love black & white cards and enjoy returning to these simple "colors" from time to time.
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs – DT Scripture Collection #1
Card Stock: Georgia Pacific white, SU black
Ink: Aidirondack black
Accessories: SU retired Ribbon Originals (Dress UP), Making Memories Black Tie dimensional flower stickers, CM custom cutting system
Size: Standard A2

Favorites

I have been so distracted that I haven't been concentrating on commenting and favoriting for which I deeply regret. Here are a few random awesome cards I have to share.

stamperjen0 (CAS)
va.sunshine
TheresaCC
Kathleen Curry
PaperInBloom (CAS)
keuby (CAS)
Clear and Simple (CAS)
JenMarie (CAS)
newlystamping (CAS)
cindybstampin (CAS)
cookiebaker
stampercamper (CAS)
star (CAS)
mkstampin74 (CAS)
joan ervin
In my closet Stampin (CAS)
cookiestamper (CAS)

Friday, August 27, 2010

CSS Alumni Limited Supply Challenge Blog Hop

Gina K. Designs/Stamp TV
Center Stage Spotlight Alumni

If you arrived here from Giovana's Blog, you're in the right place!
If not, you'll want to go back to StampTV, so you won't miss a thing! :)

Blog Hop Details:
Create a card that contains only the following items and no others:
  • One Neutral color for your card base: White, Ivory, Black, Brown or Kraft
  • Two different colors of card stock
  • One patterned paper
  • Three buttons
  • One color of ribbon
  • As little or as many images as you'd like


Under my Umbrella RECIPE

Gina K. Designs stamps
Sung from the Heart: (Rupa Shevde ~ Illustrator)
Cardstock: bubble gum pink (GKD), so saffron (SU)
Designer Paper: Stampin' Up
Ink: Momento black, so saffron marker, Copic markers
Accessories: buttons (misc.), thread, taffeta ribbon (SU)
Tools: EK Success edger punch, paper piercer
Techniques: faux stitching, paper piecing


Aloha RECIPE

Gina K. Designs Stamps
Aloha: (Theresa Momber, Illustrator)
Cardstock: wild wasabi & tempting turquoise (SU)
Designer Paper: DCWV
Ink: wild wasabi, cool cribbean, tempting turquoise, chocolate chip
Accessories: taffeta ribbon (SU), assorted buttons (GKD), thread
Tools: Marvy mega scallop square punch, SU oval punches, sponges


Don't miss out on seeing Joan's Blog!
~ Stamping with Passion

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Double Color Challenge


Double Color Challenge

Christian Paper Crafts
&
SCS Clean & Simple

I don't usually use this many layers on a CAS card. Thankfully, it still looks clean and simple and is without many embellishments. I didn't intend to get carried away with the layers. It all started when I couldn't decide on which kraft dsp to use. I finally decided that they looked good together. I needed some turquoise since it was part of the challenge. Without even thinking about CAS, I decided that it just looked too dull without highlighting both patterns. It wasn't until it was put together that I realized what I had done! LOL! Thankfully, CAS is a subjective term and there is no right answer or exact definition to explain it.

These colors make me think of enjoying the view of the sea while sitting on the beach. It's a gift from God... His creation... that can calm me with the sights and sounds.

RECIPE
Stamps: Gifts from the Sea (Gina K Designs)
White CS: Georgia Pacific

Turquoise Sea CS: Gina K Designs
Kraft dsp: Stampin' Up!
Ink: Crumb Cake: Stampin' Up!
Ribbon: EK Success
Other: Scor-Pal & pop-up dots