Monthly Archives: January 2012

Birthday Rainbow

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I created this card for the Waltzing Mouse sketch challenge (wmsc80).

I took a little liberty and imagined each stripe in the sketch as its own color – instead of two alternating colors. I also dropped the sentiment panel down because that just felt right. To steal words from Amber, it felt too predictable otherwise.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Say it Loud (WMS);
Colors: Hibiscus, Summer Sunrise, Lemon, Chartreuse, Hawaiian, White (PTI); Wisteria (SU);
Other: bracket border punch (EK Success);

Clean & Simple Class – Day 5

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Day 5 was about techniques. I took the spotlight technique and simplified it. I stamped the map on both green and blue paper then used a circle punch to punch out my spotlights in a grid pattern.

I left off the “base” image as an attempt to simplify the technique and card. I felt there were enough glimpses of the map to know what it is (even though some of them are not the right angle – I did *try* to punch in a grid, lol).

Since I used a map image, I’m also entering this in the Moxie Fab challenge, Map to Your Heart.

Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome to the Neighborhood
Stamps: map (Inkadinkado); sentiment from Home Made (PTI);
Colors: Rustic Cream, Aqua Mist, Spring Moss (PTI);
Other: circle punch;

Clean & Simple Class – Day 7

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Day 7 is all about plain white cards. I actually love doing plain white cards.

For this card, I also took inspiration from the CASE Study blog challenge (#73). This month’s muse there is Jen Rzasa.

I liked how she had different colors of the same pattern and the banner sentiment with rhinestones and the little loop of ribbon.

I haven’t figured out how to cut my dies apart, so instead of creating negative punches, I just die cut the pattern paper and popped-it on the card.

I felt the background needed something. Then I remembered how Gayatri recently created her own impression plate. So I gave that a try for myself. I die cut a bunch of clouds from thin cardboard and adhered them to another cardboard. I’m quite happy having this impression plate now!

Oh, and the final card size is actually 4 x 5 1/2 (I needed to leave room in the envelope for the loop of ribbon).

Thanks for taking a peek!

Birthday Wishes
Stamps: Up Up & Away (PTI);
Colors: White, Black (PTI);
Other: Good Morning Sunshine DSP (SU); Copic-Colored Rhinestones (Kaiser); Ribbon (stash); Cloud & Balloon dies (PTI);

Sweet Pair

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Today is Waltzing Mouse’s Blog Party. The theme this month is “Sweet Things”.

I struggled with what I would do. But it finally came to me last night!

I paper pieced (just out of cardstock) the pears from Peace & Plenty. Then I stamped the pear bodies with the smallest Gingham image.

For the sentiment, I used a font and printed it on my computer.

Since the theme is “sweet” I wanted to keep my colors light and sweet – so I had to work in some pink. I found some old StampinUp paper that worked nicely.

Thanks for stopping by!

Quite the Pair
Stamps: Peace & Plenty (WMS); Gingham (WMS);
Colors: Lemon, White (PTI); Pear (SU);
Other: CK Daydreamer sentiment font (CK); Circle dies (Spellbinders); Heart die for scallop border (PTI); Lemon ribbon (PTI); Banbury DSP (SU);

Clean & Simple Class – Day 4

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Day 4 of class was to take a stamp and use it in different ways. I chose to use the large floral spray in the Elements of Style set by StampinUp.

My first card uses the spray as a background. I stamped it in very light ink a couple times on the card base.

To do the sentiment, I stamped the frame in a dark brown (to help pull the focus) and colored it with Copics. I’m a cutter – of stamps 🙂 The sentiment was trimmed so I could stamp the words separately.

I really like how this one turned out.

For the second card, I wanted to use the spray as the focal image. Of course, I didn’t have a lot of time to color the whole thing, and Day 5’s lesson was in my head – so I chose to do a technique: Spotlighting.

This time I stamped the spray in dark brown (since it should be the focus).

I embossed the background – not sure if that lessens the CASness, but I like the feel it adds.

I also chose to keep the same colors for all the cards.

I really wasn’t sure what I would do for the last card. I knew I wanted to do something unexpected with it. After looking over the lesson again, I liked how Kristina & Julie used their image within other images. That made me remember this totally awesome card by Dawn O. So I cased it.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Best Wishes
Stamps: Elements of Style, Four Frames, Oval All (SU);
Colors: Cream (PTI); Bamboo ink (CTMH); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento);
Other: markers-R20, R22, YG91 (Copic); ribbon (PTI);
Happy Birthday – Spotlight
Stamps: Elements of Style, Warmest Regards (SU);
Colors: Cream (PTI); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento);
Other: markers-R20, R22, R24, YG91, YG93 (Copic); Fancy Tags 1 die (Spellbinders); pearls (Hero Arts); Square Lattice embossing folder (SU); circle die (Spellbinders);
Happy Birthday – Butterfly
Stamps: Elements of Style (SU); For Every Occasion (CTMH);
Colors: Cream (PTI); Rich Cocoa ink (Memento);
Other: markers-R20, R22, YG91, YG93 (Copic); Butterly die (SU); pearls (Kaiser);

Spin Me Round

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I created this card for the Clean & Simple challenge at SCS (cas152) – a supply challenge: die cuts.

After perusing my index of dies I settled on the spinner from the MFT – and the stamp set had a perfect sentiment too!

I will say I had a dickens of a time getting the spinner to work. I wanted the spinner behind the heart, but that was NOT working, so I went with the simple assembly – but at least it works! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

You Spin Me Round
Stamps: Game Night (MFT);
Colors: White, Black (PTI);
Other: Sweet Symphony DSP, heart die (PTI); heart brad (?); Game Night Spinner die (MFT);

Lattice Play

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I created this card for the For Your Information challenge (fyi21).

I woke up with mojo today! I actually die cut the lattice last night, but it was bedtime, and I didn’t really know what I was going to do – only that the shape of the lattice reminded me of the shape of the alcoves in the inspiration picture.

So this morning I woke up and it all came together for me. Once I got the lattice die cut back into the kraft layer, I decided to add the four white diamond die-cuts (to mimic the bright light coming in from the far back window in the photo). As a final touch I added the rhinestones (to mimic the light refractions).

And since I love this card so much, I’m submitting it for the Moxie Fab die cut challenge

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Fillable Frames #11, Inside-Out: Birthday (PTI);
Colors: Enchanted Evening, Fine Linen, Kraft, White (PTI);
Other: Lattice die (SU); Rhinestones (Hero Arts); Fillable Frame #11 die (PTI);

Clean & Simple Class – Day 2

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Day 2 was all about totally flat cards. One concept presented was using masking to make it seem like there were layers. Honestly, I just felt to lazy to try that. The other concept was a good layout balanced by heaviness of the images.

My first card attempted that. I used both the solid and outlined images to differ the weight.

While this is a mistletoe image, I made sure my colors and sentiment allowed that the card could be a Valentine or a Christmas card.


his next card attempts the weighted layout by varying the color. I also trimmed the card square because my images were small. I used a lighter color at the top and a darker one on the left. The sentiment feels like a good anchor to me (love the vertical flow of the sentiment).

Hopefully I can get caught up this weekend!

Thanks for taking a peek!

love & kisses
Stamps: Festive Foliage, Say it Loud (WMS);
Colors: White (PTI); Limeade, Regal Rose (SU);
Always Dreamed
Stamps: Seashells by the Seashore (CTMH); Daydreams (PTI);
Colors: Kraft (PTI); Black (Memento);
Other: colored pencils (Prismacolor);

Clean & Simple Class – Day 3

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What happened to Day 2, you ask? Don’t worry, I’ll post it – I have ideas for the cards, just not enough time!

Today’s class was about inspiration – and as I have a pinterest board full of it, I thought no time like the present to pull from it.

One of my first pins there was a cute grey/yellow hand bag (source). I really loved the yellow/grey color combo, ruffle ribbon, and Damask pattern. So those are the parts I used in my card.

I still wanted some white space on the card, so I didn’t stamp the damask over the entire white panel, and I think I really like it this way! I also think that the pattern and flowers being just on the left help give a vertical flow to a mostly horizontal card.

I need some more grey thread though. The only one I had on hand has a definitely blue-cast which is more obvious than I would like!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Damask Designs, Simple Sunflower (PTI);
Paper: Smokey Shadow, White (PTI);
Ink: Grey (Palette); So Saffron, Summer Sunrise, Going Grey (SU);
Other: Smokey Shadow ribbon (PTI);

Clean & Simple Class – Day 1

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I’m already a day behind! BUT I was able to do all 3 sketches today – yay! So maybe I’ll stay only a day behind 🙂

This is my first card. I did cheat a bit. I stamped the background over the entire card base – no masking. Then after I punched out the flowers, I backed that corner with some plain card stock. I had to add the bling – the card just didn’t feel done without it.


 

The second card is my favorite of the three. One day I’ll figure out how to take better pictures!

I started by picking the colors. I knew I needed a good poppin’ combo with this simple layout.

I like to keep my cards somewhat flat – since 95% of my cards go in the mail – so instead of a real button, I die-cut the button.


I’m actually pretty happy with how this final card turned out. I’m normally not really good at picking out a color scheme that involves more than a couple colors, lol. I picked out paper first and then just did my best to match it.

I bought this stamp set just for this image – it is my favorite cupcake image. It was actually quite fun piecing it all together.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Musical Score background (SU); Birthday Basics (PTI);
Colors: Melon Berry, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush (PTI); Cameo Coral marker (SU);
Other: flower punch (EK Success); rhinestones (Hero Arts);
Hello Friend
Stamps: Think Big Favorites 3 (PTI);
Colors: White, Hawaiian Shores (PTI); Regal Rose (SU);
Other: Damask DSP, button die, Hawaiian twill (PTI);
happy biRthDay
Stamps: Baby Button Bits, Birthday Bash Sentiments (PTI);
Colors: Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Chartreuse (PTI); Suede, Bermuda (SU); Black (Memento);
Other: button die (PTI); DSP (Basic Grey);