It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It's been awhile since I've been on my blog. But I have lots of cards to post.
It's definitely starting to look like Christmas in my craft room.

SCS Sketch Challenge 308

Besides being out of practice with several layers, I went way out of my comfort zone with this card. I very rarely use buttons or mix & match 3 patterns of dp.

Stamps: Rodney Reindeer (Whipper Snapper)
Cardstock: chocolate chip, white
Designer Paper: most likely DCWV
Ink: black, Copic markers
Accessories: buttons, gold cord

CAS Technique Challenge: sponging

Stamps: DRS Designs
Paper: white, real red
Ink: black, real red, summer sun, Copic markers
Accessories: satin ribbon
Technique: sponging

SCS - CAS challenge - Use gingham or checks.

Christian Paper Crafts Color Challenge
white
taupe (or tan)
cranberry or bright red
hunter green

Stamps: tree (Impression Obsession), sentiment (Gina K. Designs - Fanciful Tags)
Paper: white, close to cocoa, SU retired dsp
Ink: garden green, riding hood red, Copic markers
Accessories: gingham ribbon
Size: approx. 6.5x3.25 (It fits into a standard letter size envelope.)

Christian Paper Crafts Color Challenge 83

The inspiration photo shows shades of greens, pinks and a bit of caramel. I used red instead of the dark rose red color.

Stamps: Greeting Card Kids (Stampin' Up!), Fanciful Tags (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: white, real red, pink pirouette
Ink: black, real red, bashful blue, Copic markers
Accessories: gingham ribbon, pop-up dots
Tools: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots EF, CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circle die, sponge

CAS Sketch Challenge
Inspired by DT member: Lori (ltecler)

Stamps: Snow Globe (Stampin' Up!), Fanciful Tags (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: white, real red, unknown dp
Ink: black, real red, Copic markers
Accessories: Taffeta ribbon, pop-up dots, white opal Liquid Pearls

CAS Technique Challenge: sponging

Stamps: Peaceful Wishes (Stampin' Up), SU sentiment
Paper: white, old olive
Ink: old olive, real red
Tools: Cuttlebug snowflakes EF
Accessories: gingham ribbon, brads
Technique: sponging
Size: 4.25 square (I use 4.5 A Muse envelopes)

Clean & Simple Challenge Winter DT Search

By clicking directly on the photo, you'll be able to see a bigger photo to see the details.

Stamps: sentiment (TAC), wreath (DRS Designs?)
Paper: white, real red
Ink: black, real red, Copic markers
Accessories: gingham ribbon, Diamond stickles
Tools: CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circle die, Cuttlebug snowflake EF

CSS Alumni Color 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 card or project using the following color combo:

• White or Ivory
• Brown
• Light Blue (Little Boy Blue, Ocean Mist, or Turquoise Sea)
• Yellow (Lemon Drop, Sweet Corn, or Wild Dandelion)

Gina K. Designs Stamps
Faithful Florals - Illustrator, Tami Mayberry
Purrr-fectly Delightful (butterflies)
Illustrator, Theresa Momber

GKD Cardstock: Ivory & Chocolate Brown
SU Ink: early espresso, brocade blue, so saffron
Accessories: Offray ribbon
Technique: sponging, clean & simple

Don't miss out on seeing Joan's blog!
Stamping with a Passion

Pulled out some old Stampin' Up...

Triple Challenge

SCS Featured Stamper: CherylQuilts

*I used the same stamp set and border punch.
*I used similar colors and a similar layout.
*I used a different style of ribbon and left off the button.

Here's Cheryl's beautiful card.
Cheryl's gallery is amazing! You can see her gallery here.

SCS Clean & Simple Theme Challenge: Sympathy Cards

Christian Paper Crafts Color Challenge:
cream, tan, chocolate, garden green

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: very vanilla, chocolate chip
Ink: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, wild wasabi
Tools: EK Success dotted wavy border punch, sponge
Accessories: organdy ribbon



CAS Color Challenge:
soft pink, old olive, kraft, white (optional marina mist)

This color combo can be seen in the current Stampin' Up catty on pages 156 and 157. They can be seen with chocolate on pages 102 & 103. Similar colors can be seen on page 56.

The same color challenge can be found on Christian Paper Crafts this, today.

Stamps: Peaceful Wishes (Stampin' Up!)
Paper: kraft, old olive, blushing bride, blushing bride dsp (level 1 hostess)
Ink: old olive
Tools: CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop oval die
Accessories: kraft taffeta ribbon, petal pink Liquid Pearls
Size: approx. 3.5x6.25 (Fits in a standard size letter envelope)

The cute teacups are from an older set called Signs of Autumn.
When it was released it was part of a Showtime kit.



SCS F4A36 - paper piecing
StampTV sketch challenge

Stamps: Signs of Autumn, Fanciful Tags (Gina K. Designs)
Cardstock: chocolate chip, blushing bride, white, kraft
Designer Paper: SU blushing bride & kraft dsp
Ink: Palette burnt umber, Copic markers (E37 - Sepia, E71 - champagne, R20 - blush)
Tools: SU word window & modern label punches
Accessories: brads, taffeta ribbon
Techniques: paper piecing, CAS

This is an oldie but goodie Gina K. set
illustrated by Theresa Momber.

SCS Color Challenge: Peach Espresso Craze

Stamps: Autumn Beauty - Gina K. Designs (Theresa Momber)
Paper: GKD sweet mango, SU very vanilla, early espresso, really rust
Ink: Memento Tangelo, SU creamy caramel, pumpkin pie, really rust, pumpkin pie, Copic markers (E08, YR16, YR23, Y38)
Accessories: vanilla taffeta ribbon, caramel gingham ribbon, GKD assorted buttons (neutrals), sponge

Wow! Wow! Wow!

You have to see this card made by Illustrator from Gina K. Designs, Melanie Muenchinger!
It make CAS cards to elaborate cards. It's a set of borders for year round use. And it coordinates with some of her other sets. I'm enjoying all the snippets, but this one is first on my wish list. I'm embarrassed to say I was actually giddy when I saw the cards in the blog hop... giddy! LOL!

Melanie's Card

Isn't this card gorgeous?!? OK, here is the blog hop that starts with Gina. Here is the link directly to Melanie's blog. You have a chance to win this set in both places.

Gina's Card

Gina's Blog


Cat's Card

Cat's Blog

Carolyn's Card

Carolyn's Blog

Emily's Card

Emily's Blog

Lee's Card

Lee's Blog

Theresa's Card

Theresa's Blog

Happy Halloween!
These are cards I've made throughout the last month.

SCS Inspiration Challenge 249: Cost Plus World Market

I was instantly inspired by many things in their Halloween Headquarters. This is the image that inspired my card.

Stamps: DRS Designs
Paper: SU pumpkin pie, chocolate chip, & more mustard
Ink: Adirondack pitch black, SU chocolate chip, Copic markers
Tools & Accessories: Cuttlebug Forest Branches & Swiss Dots embossing folders, SU whisper white taffeta ribbon, pop-up dots

The embossed mustard layer is popped up.

SCS Featured Stamper 188: 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 on my blog that you can see here.

The elegant card I CASEd can be found here.

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)

CAS Sketch Challenge Inspired by kstamper

Stamps: variety of retired Stampin' Up stamps
One Layer Card
Adirondack black ink
Copic markers: YR04 chrome orange, Y08 acid yellow
The "dangling" candy corn are popped up.

I was lucky to get this cool 'BOO' stamp at the Novi stamp show in August. Ya know I couldn't pass it up. LOL!

SCS Inspiration Challenge 248

I was inspired by the Boo Newsprint Plaque from Elizabeth's Embellishments. I was looking to see if I still had some newsprint dp when I ran across the pre-stamped sanded BG. It turned out to be my substitute. I may make one with real newsprint, though.

Stamps: Boo (Stamp Oasis), Sanded BG (Stampin' Up)
CS: white, black, only orange, going gray
Ink: black, gray
Accessories: Cuttlebug EF, ribbon, eyelet, Martha Stewart web & cat punches

Favorites

Having a little difficulty with sleeping and I've hit a writer's block, sooooooo.... what a great time to cruise the gallery! Here are some great cards I've seen this week.

kittie747
kittie747 (CAS)
kittie747 (CAS)
blessingsx3
sweetnsassystamps (CAS)
sweetnsassystamps
sweetnsassystamps
dancerriley (CAS)
atsamom (CAS)
stamperjen0 (CAS)
SouthernBellStamper (CAS)
SouthernBellStamper
creativebutterfly (CAS)
kstamper (CAS)
kstamper (CAS)
LynniePoo (CAS)
knightrone
patsmethers
patsmethers
quillster
sf9erfan (CAS)
suebay
imamuttnut
markie's mom
markie's mom
rainy (CAS)
ltecler (CAS)
ltecler (CAS)
msb4u
bfinlay (CAS)
CAKath (CAS)
catcrazy (CAS)
resqbarbie (CAS)
DandI93
tankgrl
DeborahLynneS
FubsyRuth
krischir (CAS)
angelladcrockett
angelladcrockett
CraftHavenRetreats
buzsy
sbs81
nancy littrell

Splitcoast Sketch Challenge 304

I'm still going crazy with the layers.

I matched this sentiment with the image of books because I laugh with and talk back to the characters in books. Hubby thinks I'm very strange.

Stamps: Ippity, Unity
Paper: white, chocolate chip, kraft, pink pirouette, melon mambo
Ink: Palette burnt umber, Copic markers
Tools: CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop oval die, SU large oval, circle, & designer label punches
Accessories: ribbon, pop-up dots



Stamps: Warm Winter Wishes (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: white, pear pizzazz, retired SU dsp
Ink: Memento black, Copic markers
Tools: CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities: Scall oval die and Labels #10 die, Martha Stewart branch punch
Accessories: SU taffeta ribbon, Cotton Candy Stickles, pop-up dots

I went crazy!

It's been awhile since I've participated in a SCS color challenge that you can find here. It's been a difficult couple of weeks for my family and my heart hasn't been into creating as often as I usually do. But when I saw the colors, I made myself enter my craft room. I'm not sure what happened since this isn't my usually style... I went crazy! LOL! And I had fun! Thanks for the push, Joanne :)

I made this card for this week's StampTV sketch challenge, too. You can find it here.
I turned it into a square card when I realized my panels were too large. The card is approx. 5x5.

The main image is layered on kraft that has been run through the Big Shot with SU's Lattice embossing folder. I didn't actually just think about doing this like a light bulb hit me... or something like that. LOL! It's because I haven't bothered to clean up my craft table in way too long. I found a scrap piece of kraft that had beem embossed and it was big enough. I liked how it looked... so voila. After that, I got a little more creative.... embossing is fun. I grabbed the forest branches and thought about what else I could do to make it "wow." That's how I ended up stamping it first with the leaves from "Hope Grows." The bottom kraft panel is stamped with the sand speckled stamp from "Gifts from the Sea." I used SU markers to color the main image before stamping. This took me more time than I'd like since the image is compact so huffing needed to be done to moisten it back up. The main image and sentiment are from the set "You are Not Alone."

Gina K Designs stamps: You are Not Alone, Hope Grows, Gifts from the Sea
Paper: white, kraft, baja breeze, blushing bride, blushing bride dsp
Ink: crumb cake, baja breeze, blushing bride, close to cocoa
Tools: SU Lattice EF, Cuttlebug Forest Branches EF, CM custom cutting system, Spellbinders Nestabilities scallop circle die, SU large oval, circle, and designer label punches
Accessories: SU brads, blushing bride ribbon, pop-up dot
Size: approx. 5.5 square

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.

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:

Carla Suto

Melissa Shultz

Brenda Turner

Linda Payne

Giovana Smith

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.

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)

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

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

A Huge Load of Favorites

I haven't been able to spend as much time in the galleries as I'd like, but when I do, I always find more great cards than I could ever link. Here are some of them you won't want to miss. (Some of these were uploaded a month ago... I'm behind at linking them.)


cookiebaker (CAS)
Vicky Gould (CAS
darleenstamps (CAS)
hobbydujour (CAS)
Petal Pusher (CAS)
mamamostamps (CAS)
die cut diva (CAS)
hobbydujour (CAS)
Bev Barton (CAS)
craftycaro
markie's mom
atsamom
Karen B Barber
imastampin
lcoughlin
kstamper (CAS)
resqbarbie (CAS)
darleenstamps (CAS)
lisahenke (CAS)
PaperInBloom (CAS)
simplybeautiful (CAS)
stampingout (CAS)
CMU1999
grbscrap
krista824
markie's mom
justwritedesigns
angelladcrockett
kittie747
bfinlay (CAS)
markie's mom (CAS)
ltecler (CAS)
MaryR917 (CAS)
lisa lara (CAS)
ltecler (CAS)
eberlinek (CAS)
eberlinek
stampercamper
sarahzoe
craftycaro
Karen B Barber
Grandma Overboard
vdutchr
katolejnik (CAS)
Rox71 (CAS)
CAKath (CAS)
hobbydujour (CAS)
markie's mom (CAS)
krischir (CAS)
Clownmom (CAS)
va.sunshine (CAS)
kthaman (CAS)
dbaker3 (CAS)
cher2008
daisyfreak
stampercamper
kittie747
markie's mom
TheresaCC
tommygirloz (CAS)
kstamper (CAS)
stampercamper (CAS)
hobbywoman
eberlink
markie's mom
LuvLee
knightrone
cmf1216
cookiebaker

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

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

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