Special Inspiration Challenge

Last night when I saw today's SCS Inspiration challenge from Grandin Road, I decided to look for a piece that inspired me and "sleep on it". I chose an area rug from the indoor floral section. As soon as I saw the Soho Area rug in beige & black, (on my screen, the beige reminded me of river rock), I knew exactly which stamp I wanted to use. The funny thing is that I had forgotten I had this stamp. But last evening while watching a movie, I spent some more time mounting stamps on EZ Mount and indexing my binders... and this Unity stamp caught my eye.

Well, I didn't wake up until 1:09 PM!!! That's right. DH was gone to work and I hardly remember him talking to me this morning. DS was up watching TV and hadn't eaten (He's alomst 14 but has many special needs). I quickly took care of him, took some meds for my migraine, and got to work. Thankfully I caught the migraine early and I was making this card!!! I happen to love it. But what do you think? (That sounded like my SCS friend Faith. LOL! But she's a good person to follow. *wink*)

Stamps: Tree of Elegance by Unity, sentiment from Inkadinkado's Best Wishes set
Colors: river rock, black
Accessories: brads, Martha Stewart lace border punch

Hi... I'm back! Wow... 2 days in a row!

LOL! Spring break is great for relaxing and stamping. We never take a vacation during this time because hubby and I have spring break at different times.

I love today's SCS sketch challenge #223. This took much more thinking and time than I thought it would . I know I'll use this sketch again in the future... but maybe an image in the small box.

Stamps: Say It with Scallops, Ginormous Flowers, Stitched Exotics
Paper: certainly celery, garden green, white, celery DSP, SAB-DP
Ink: certainly celery, garden green, bashful blue, pretty in pink
Accessories: ribbon, markers

Happy Spring Flowers (I'm really tired of the snow IRL!)

I'm back with today's SCS color challenge: bashful blue, so saffron, close to cocoa

Stamps: A Flower for All Seasons
Paper: white, close to cocoa, so saffron, bashful blue, SAB-DP
Ink: black
Accessories: Copics, ribbon, brads, square, circle & scallop punches, white gel pen

Copics: Y21, YG03, YG25, E74, B32

This card measures 4.25 square. I use $.5 A Muse envelopes.

Going back to work has really cut down on my stamping and computer time. As I settle in to more of a routine, I'll get back to more consistent posting. Thank for looking!

Martha Stewart Cupcakes

Both of these cards were made for the Clean & Simple challenges on Splitcoast.

CAS07 - Use Punches

I had a really hard time taking a photo of this card, but it was easy to make. Punches are so fast and simple! First, I did the faux stitching with a paper piercer and mat stack grid. Then I used the Martha Stewart cupcake punch with Stampin' Up DP scraps. I popped up the frosting with dimensionals and colored the dividing space with a Copic sand marker. Finally, I layered, used ribbon scraps, plopped it onto the card base.

Stamps: None!
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, white, Stampin' Up DP - pumpkin pie, certainly celery, bashful blue, pretty in pink
Accessories: sand Copic marker, Martha Stewart cupcake punch, ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack, dimensionals

This card measures 4.25 square. I use 4.5 A Muse envelopes.


CAS06 - Inspiration Challenge

The Clean & Simple Challenge is an inspiration challenge from Robeez. I chose an adorable pair of baby shoes with cupcakes as my inspiration for my card. They must be sold out because the link no longer works and I can't find them. But there is so much inspiration on that site!

Stamps: sentiment - Gina K Designs
Paper: white, chocolate chip, DSP - chocolate chip, bashful blue, pumpkin pie, real red, certainly celery
Accessories: ribbon, Martha Stewart cupcake punch, dimensionals for the of the cupcakes

Featured Stamper Challenge Cards

Featured Stamper: Twinshappy
Since Stacey used bold brights one her card, I decided to challenge myself to go bold, too! Not only that, I almost never use any shades of purple.

* changed the colors
* less layers/no distressing
* different main flower image/no sentiment
* used a swirly BG instead of a swirly border
* moved the ribbon
* no bling/added buterflies

Here's Stacey's beautiful card.

Stamps: Live Your Dream, French Flair BG (Wish RAK)
Colors: lovely lilac, almost amethyst, white
Accessories: markers, organdy ribbon, white gel pen, Martha Stewart butterfly punch


Blast from the past FS card:

Featured Stamper: Mary Jo Albright

* same theme
* same colors
* changed the main image
* used buttons instead of rhinestones

Here's Mary Jo's beautiful card.

Stamps: Miracle of Spring, Flower Filled
Paper: close to cocoa, pretty in pink DSP, celery SAB DP, white
Accessories: buttons & hemp, WW crayons, taffeta ribbon, paper piercer & mat stack, markers
Techniques: faux stitching

This card measure 4.25 square. I use 4.5 A Muse envelopes.

I'm back... and inspired to stamp again!

It's so good to be stamping again! I went back to work this week. I forgot how exhausting the first week of teaching can be. And the week before that, I was sick. Wow! It's good to be back! LOL!

I made this for the IC171 challenge. The inspiration I used was a pair of Christmas bulb salt and pepper shakers with great big blue bows on them. It reminded me of my great big Easter egg wrapped in a big bow from DRS Designs. I kept the bow blue, but I had to change the colors because I certainly didn't want to have a Christmas Easter egg! LOL!

Here's the Fitz and Floyd pepper shakers.

Here's the Inspiration Challenge.

Stamps: Easter Egg - DRS Designs, polka Dot BG from SU's Polka Dot & Paisleys
Paper: regal rose, certainly celery, white
Colors: black, certainly celery, regal rose SU marker
Accessories: Copic markers, Martha Stewart lace edge punch, paper piercer & mat stack, taffeta ribbon
Techniques: out of the box

DRS Designs Easter Collection

Thanks for continuing to visit my blog in my absence. I truly appreciate all of you. Below you'll find other challenge cards that I never found time to upload.

Monday, March 9 - Clean & Simple Challenge

SCS - CAS challenge - Use shades of blues and greens on your CAS card + neutrals.

Stamps: Petals & Stems, Flutterby - Verve
Colors: bashful blue, certainly celery, white, black
Accessories: ribbon, dimensionals
The middle flower is popped up on dimensionals.











CAS challenge - Use shades of blues and greens on your CAS card + neutrals.

Featured Stamper: StampingQueenJAR
* changed the colors
* used same cross but other images are similar
* added a layer
*same layout

Here's Judy's pretty card.

Stamps: Refuge & Strength, Fresh Cuts - SU, Verse - Our Daily Bread's Hope set
Colors: bashful blue, certainly celery, white, black
Accessories: dimensionals

Tuesday, March 3 - Color Challenge

SCS Color Challenge: chocolate chip, pink passion, kiwi kiss

Starring Bun-Bun

Ugh! The coloring of Bub-Bun is not so good. I haven't been able to find a refill for Copic E33.

Stamps: Bun-Bun - Penny Black (PIF), Fin Lace - SU (Wish RAK), Itty Bitty Buds (leaves) - SU
Paper: white, VV, chocolate chip, kiwi kiss, pink passion
Ink: black, kiwi kiss, bashful blue, creamy caramel
Accessories: Copic markers, old olive SU marker, sponge, Marvy flower punch, white gel pen, prima (Wish RAK), chocolate ribbons, white brad


Starring Content-to-be-a-bella

Stamps: Content-to-be-a-bella - Stamping Bella (Wish RAK), Tag Lines - Gina K
Paper: pink passion, white, chocolate chip
Ink: black
Accessories: Copic markers, SU chocolate chip & pink passion markers, prima & brad (Wish RAK), ribbon, Martha Stewart butterfly punch, SU large oval punch, Top Note SU die cut (Wish RAK), dimensionals

Have you ever.....

... smudged your card just as it was almost done? And then decide it was easier to cover it up instead of do it over? Well, that was me tonight... hence the brads. LOL!

Monday's CAS challenge is to accent your CAS card with dots using piercing or markers. You can the challenge in the challenge forum under the weekly forums. We should have our own forum soon!

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes, Heard from the Heart
Colors: close to cocoa, white, Palette Noir burnt umber
Accessories: circle punches, distressing tool, organdy ribbon, brads, piercer & punches plus template

Elegant Sprig of Flowers for the FS Challenge

I'm loving my new Sprigs set from The Angel Company!

SCS Featured Stamper: Kelly_H

*changed the main image to a similar one
*used a different embossing folder (Wish RAK)
*changed river rock to mellow moss
*added a layer
*used ribbon without a bow (I couldn't get a cute bow today... sigh)

Here's Kelly's beautiful card.

Stamps: Sprigs - TAC
Colors: white, mellow moss, pretty in pink
Accessories: taffeta ribbon, CB Birds & Swirls (Wish RAK)

Inspiration Challenge - Americana

SCS Inspiration Challenge: I chose the Americana buckets from Room Service Home.

Stamps: Springs - TAC, Baroque Motifs - SU, Tag Lines- Gina K Designs
Colors: riding hood red, bashful blue, white
Accessories: taffeta ribbon, small star punch

Hockey Snoopy

I made this card quite awhile ago for the SCS sketch challenge #84

Stamps: Snoopy - Stampabilities, It's Your Birthday, Sporting Goods, * Cheesecloth - SU
Paper: brocade blue, basic black, white
Ink: brocade blue, basic black
Accessories: slit punch, eyelet, ribbon, WW crayons

Skater Ian

I recently discovered The Greeting Farm and instantly fell in love with Anya and Ian.

Stamps: Skater Ian - The Greeting Farm, Tag Lines - Gina K. Designs
Paper: not quite navy, kraft, white, not quite navy & kraft DSP
Accessories: Copic markers, oval punch, brads

Blast from the Past: Scallops

This is a SU kraft scallop note card. I colored this image at a Splitcoast gathering almost a year ago. CuttersCallous is a great teacher!

Stamps: flowers - Gina K, sentiment - unknown
Colors: kraft, white, chocolate chip, groovy guava
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, SU scallop Notes





I used the slit punch to make the scallops on this card. I love my new scallop border punch. It's so much easier and quicker!

Stamps: In the Spotlight, Warmest regards
Colors: pretty in pink, soft sky, rose red, white
Accessories: circle, slit, & snow blossom punches, soft sky ribbon

Wednesday's SCS Sketch Challenge

Thank you to everyone who found the maker of this stamp! And to the many who wanted to know the answer too... it's from GREAT IMPRESSIONS!

Stamp: bunnies taking a peek - Great Impressions, Sentiment - SU's Miracle of Spring
Colors: creamy caramel, pink pirouette, white
Accessories: Copic markers, Michael's texture ribbon. close to cocoa marker for dots






I received Pocket Silhouettes from some of my Wish RAK friends!

Stamps - Pocket Silhouettes, One of A Kind
Paper - pacific point, pacific point DSP, white
Ink - pacific point
Accessories: ribbon, square punches, corner punch, boho blossoms punch

Tuesday's Color Challenge

SCS Color Challenge: summer sun, kiwi kiss, pumpkin pie

I love this color challenge so much that I had to make a 2nd card. This card is the size of a SU scallop note card.

Stamps: A Good Egg
Accessories: Copic markers (for coloring), old olive marker (for grass), flower eyelet, ribbon, Martha Stewart zig zag punch
Techniques: paper piecing






Aren't these little ducklings the cutest!?! I love the expression on the face of the last one! This cute image is from Whipper Snapper. (They now sell stamps unmounted!!!!)

Stamps: Ducks in A Row - Whipper Snapper, sentiment - Gina K's Tag Lines
Paper: kiwi kiss, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie DSP, white
Ink: black, kiwi kiss (sponging)
Accessories: Copic markers (for coloring), old olive marker (for grass), Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Monday's CAS sketch Challenge

You can find the challenge and sketch here.

I made this card for a secretary at my doc's office. I think she's giving it to her niece. She says she's really girly. I hope this works. I like wedding cards to be mostly white.

Stamps: Fresh Cuts
Paper: white, pink pirouette
Ink: pink pirouette
Accessories: pretty in pink marker, crocheted flowers by lacyquilter (Melody), Martha Stewart lace punch, taffeta ribbon, pearl stickers
Techniques: computer generated words


I'm showing off my favorite color again... orange!!!
I love how these 2 Verve sets go together!

Stamps: petals & Stems and Flutterby - Verve, sentiment - Gina K
Colors: white, apricot appeal, pumpkin pie
Accessories: ribbon, pumpkin pie marker, paper piercer, dimensionals

Ice Cream for 2

This card qualifies for 2 challenges.

High Hopes #17 (A little late but better than never!)
Wish RAK monthly challenge Feb #2 - CB swiss dots

Stamps: Ice Cream for Two - High Hopes, sentiment - Gina K
Paper: chocolate chip, creamy caramel, white, SU DP
Accessories: Copic markers, ribbon, button, hemp, CB swiss dots, creamy caramel marker for dots

Flash Back Wednesday

Since I didn't have time to make anything new today, I decided to make it a flash back day. Both of these cards were made for past Limited Supply challenges.

Simple One of A Kind

Stamps: One of A Kind, Boho Backgrounds
Colors: river rock, bordering blue, white
Accessories: river rock ribbon, Boho Blossoms punch, scallop scissors, dimensionals






3x3 Quick Snow Blossom

Stamps: In the Spotlight, The Snowflake Spot, Short and Sweet
Paper: blush blossom, chocolate chip, whisper white
Ink: chocolate chip
Acessories: taffeta ribbon, snow blossom punch, mat kit & marker, dimensionals
Technique: distressing

SCS Color Challenge

Color Challenge: more mustard, rose red, kiwi kiss

Stamps: Verve - Petals & Stems, Flutterby By
Accessories: ribbon, paper piercer, dimensionals, sponge

Even though I love mustard, I wasn't sure I was going to like this combo. But it's growing on me. I hadn't even planned on what set to use. I had told myself that I had to get my PIF images stamped and mailed today before I could make a card. Well, I was using this set and it hit me. Verve was the way to go, today!