PP781 Extreme Dirt Bike Birthday

 Happy Sunday, all!  Time for a new Paper Players challenge and Jan is our hostess with an interesting color challenge:

I confess that my first thought when seeing these colors was to use them with my beloved bumblebees---perfect colors, don't you think?  BUT I needed a birthday card for my nephew Jameson, and he loves dirt bikes, so I switched gears (no pun intended) and went in a different direction:

I started by stamping some grunge elements in Smoky Slate and Daffodil Delight, then stamped the biker with Stazaon Black ink.  I added some stitched lines to look like tracks, then a simple birthday sentiment and some gray metal embellishments.  

It went on a Smoky Slate card base with this sentiment on the inside:

I may have used this same stamp on his card last year (can't remember) but I hope he doesn't mind!  Here's a photo of Jameson (on the right) with Maven and Sawyer at Christmas!  They're all getting so big!  

I hope you'll create something with these great colors this week!  Not only are they good bee colors, they're probably good for some other cool subjects as well!  Can't wait to see what you create!  Share them with us at the Players!

Thanks for popping in today!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Extreme Dirt Bike, Gorgeous Grunge, Label Me Bold (all retired),Inside Birthday Sentiments (Waffle Flower)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Smoky Slate
Ink	Smoky Slate, Daffodil Delight, Stazon Black
Accessories	Metal Brads (ret), Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Kristina's Finishing Touches Dies (Kristina Werner)

PP658 CAS Sports x Two

Happy Sunday, everyone!  I hope your weekend is going well!  It's the fabulous Claire's turn to host our Paper Players challenge today and she has a great one!  So here we go:

I actually made two for this challenge; the first one I thought was not quite CAS enough!  So I just made another! I can always use them!  So, here we go with the first one:

In my search for some graphic-style paper, I found some in my stash that matched Starry Sky pretty well, and since that's a color I rarely use, I thought I would challenge myself! I pulled out a retired stamp, Exteme Skater, a Paper Pumpkin sentiment and some Gorgeous Grunge and did some simple stamping; I hope skateboarding is considered a sport, LOL:

Everything went on an Orchid Oasis card base and I added a strip of the same paper on the inside:

And here's my first card, I used retired sets called Have a Ball and Your Biggest Fan along with the FMS sketch for this week:

Here's the sketch:

And the inside:

I think this is a great opportunity to create some clean-and-simple masculine cards!  What sports fan do you know who would love a card featuring his (or her) favorite team or sport?  Put on your creative thinking caps and share your creation with us at the Paper Players! 

Here's something I made while pursuing one of my favorite "sports"--knitting!  I made up this pattern off the top of my head; in the future I'll make it less bulky at top and bottom!  The retired Stitched Leaves dies came in handy to create the felt leaves!

 Thanks for visiting today!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

First Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Gorgeous Grunge (ret), Extreme Skater (ret), Paper Pumpkin (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Orchid Oasis, Little by Little DSP (American Crafts)
Ink	Starry Sky, Orchid Oasis
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Rectangle Stitched Dies

Second Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Have a Ball (ret), Your Biggest Fan (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Basic Black, Real Red, Cajun Craze, Real Red DSP
Ink	Real Red, Memento Black, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Layering Circle Dies, 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4"Circle Punch

TSOT583 Deer John

Happy Wednesday, peeps!  Popping in today with a special card for a special guy...today is hubby John's birthday!  I usually make him a sailboat card but since he is a hunter, I decided to make a "deer" John card, LOL:

Obviously, it's not THAT kind of Dear John card, and hopefully he'll like it!  I stamped the deer on Very Vanilla cardstock in Stazon Black and used Cinnamon Cider ink to color her in.  She was fussy-cut and mounted on another piece of Very Vanilla which was shaded with Misty Moonlight and Night of Navy inks.  The background panels are from some 6x6 pads in my stash, and the horizontal Mossy Meadow strip was distressed and stamped with Gorgeous Grunge.  Sentiment is from Your Biggest Fan!

My sketch came from Try Stampin' On Tuesday:

Thanks for visiting today!

In addition to all the other gazillion things I have going on this week, it's Operation Christmas Child shoebox packing time! We did shoeboxes on our own this year instead of at church, so Cassidy spent Sunday afternoon getting hers ready:

She did one for a boy and one for a girl and she had fun picking out all the goodies to put inside!  It's so fun to imagine the children opening them up!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Your Biggest Fan (ret), Nature's Beauty (ret), Gorgeous Grunge (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Mossy Meadow, Cinnamon Cider (ret), Forest DSP (ScrapBerry), Wanted DSP (Cosmo Cricket)
Ink	Stazon Black, Mossy Meadow, Cinnamon Cider, Soft Suede
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Cut & Emboss Machine, Stitched Rectangle Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies (ret)

TCC178 Vintage Shells

Hi stampers!  Happy Wednesday!  Today we have a beautiful new Card Concept challenge, just in time for summer stamping!  Here's the pretty prompt:

For my "clean and layered" card, I decided to pull out a vintage-style 100 Proof Press stamp and use it, along with the colors in the palette, to make a pretty seashell-inspired card:

The card is pretty simple; the shells are stamped in Pool Party on Basic White cardstock, and I ripped the edges for a rustic look.  I ripped some Balmy Blue cardstock to create a mat, then put it on a Crumb Cake card base on which I stamped some "woodgrain" from the retired Gorgeous Grunge:

I added some speckles from Friends are Like Seashells, some thick baker's twine, and a sentiment from Friends are Like Seashells on the inside, since I just couldn't find a place that I like for it on the front!

I have a special friend whose birthday is in August and she loves the beach, so I'll probably save this one for her!  

The design team has come up with some gorgeous creations using our inspiration photo....I hope you'll play along with us at share your "concept" as well at The Card Concept!  This will be our last challenge until fall, so enjoy your summer season and thanks for popping in!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Friends are Like Seashells, Gorgeous Grunge (ret), Shell Plate 17 (100 Proof Press)
Card stock & Papers	Basic White, Balmy Blue, Crumb Cake
Ink	Soft Suede, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Versamark
Accessories	Thick Baker's Twine (ret)
Tools

HLS Love is Patient

Happy Wednesday, everyone!  I have a clean-and-simple card today; the Happy Little Stampers challenge wants to see our "Off the Edge" stamping, 

and I couldn't wait to use a new stamp my friend Martha gave me for my birthday.  So here we go:

I stamped the verse at the lower edge and punched the edge, then added a Tim Holtz floral along with some speckles. I resisted the urge to fill in the flower and decided to leave it open for a more CAS look!

I like this so much, I may make some more!  Thanks for visiting today!  Oh, and I think this is the last of my birthday cards:

This happy, cheerful card is from my friend Wendy:

And this cutie is from my Inspired By teammate, Danni!  LOVE those little mice and cupcakes:

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

"Consider what God has done:  Who can straighten what he has made crooked?  When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider:  God has made the one as well as the other.  Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future."  Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Gorgeous Grunge (ret), Flower Garden (Tim Holtz), D3967 Love Never Fails (Impression Obsession)
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla
Ink	Melon Mambo, Pear Pizzazz, Shaded Spruce, Soft Seafoam
Accessories
Tools	Corner Rounder Punch

RRCB157 Vintage Sketch

Happy Tuesday, everyone!  It's time for a new RetroRubber challenge, where we encourage you to use your older stamps!  We have a sketch for you today:

What a great sketch...lots of layers to play with!  As I was trying to "clean" my craft room, I remembered I hadn't played with these two sets from 2010 and 2011:  French Foliage and Nature Walk.  I also haven't done a vintage-style card for a while, so here we go:

I started with some vintage ephemera background papers, probably from My Mind's Eye, but they were in my scrap bin, so I don't know the maker for sure; I stamped images on a Naturals White panel in Stazon Black, Crumb Cake and Sahara Sand, and lightly stenciled a pattern over them:

I added some "splatters", a couple of honeycomb diecuts in silver glimmer paper and a tattered organdy rose, which also had some glitter adhered to it.  I stamped the bird once on the panel and again on a scrap, then watercolored and fussy-cut him out:

The sentiment is from Itty Bitty Greetings; I did a bit of sponging as well to add to the shabby, vintage look.  It felt good to use all these sweet images and I always love a vintage-styled creation!  

I hope you'll play along with our RetroRubber sketch this week; just remember to use stamps at least a year old, and tell us the approximate age!  Thanks for popping in today!  

Three fun-lovin' girls!!!

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Itty Bitty Greetings, Nature Walk (2011, ret), French Foliage (2010 ret), Gorgeous Grunge (2013, ret), Itty Bitty Backgrounds (2006, ret)
Card stock & Papers	Naturals White (ret), Misc DSPs, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink	Stazon Black, Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Soft Suede
Accessories	Dimensionals, Organdy Rose (ret), Dazzling Diamonds Glitter (ret)
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched Rectangle Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies, Detailed Bee Dies (ret), Sponge Daubers, Aquapainter, Basic Pattern Decorative Mask, Blending Brushes

Happy Anniversary

Hi peeps! Today is our 22nd wedding anniversary and I thought I'd share the card I made for John.  He's kind of a plain guy, he doesn't like fussy stuff, so I took Linda's FMS sketch:

 

and came up with this:

My base is Seaside Spray, and the main panel is a piece of Sand & Sea DSP, on which I stamped a lighthouse silhouette from Sweet & Sassy with some trees in the background:

I was a bit surprised; after stamping the lighthouse in Misty Moonlight, I stamped the trees in the background with Seaside Spray ink, and it actually turned the lighthouse a lighter shade...which looks kind of cool!  The sentiment is from Many Mates, and the coordinating "mate" was stamped below:

I also stamped some "splashes" on the card base with the splash stamp from Gorgeous Grunge since I still had it laying on my desk from a couple of cards ago!  Thanks for popping in today---be sure to come back tomorrow for a new Paper Players challenge!

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"  John 14:6

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Many Mates, Gorgeous Grunge (ret),  Landscape Silhouettes (Sweet & Sassy)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Seaside Spray, Misty Moonlight, Sand & Sea DSP
Ink	Night of Navy, Misty Moonlight, Seaside Spary
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools

IB152 Sparkle Treat Box

Hi stampers!  Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!  So it's full swing into Christmas!  Today's Inspired By Challenge is a sweet one, check it out, along with the optional sketch:

Aren't those little donut snowmen cute?!  I happened recently to be searching through every Christmas stamp I had, looking for a particular sentiment, and I found Mr Twigster!  I also happened to be using my Little Treat Box die and had cut out a red one, so they just sort of worked together!  Here we go:

I stamped Mr Twigster with Stazon black ink and colored him in with some SU markers, then fussy-cut him out.  The sentiment is from a retired set called Good Greetings.  The background was cut from the same Little Treat Box die, trimming it down, then stamping and embossing "snow" (Gorgeous Grunge) and embellishing it with some Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper:

I haven't figured what I'll put inside my little treat box, but it will be something yummy, that's for sure! I am entering this at the Little Red Wagon challenge, too, which is "Prepared for Christmas"!

  

I hope you'll play along with our adorable challenge this week...share it with us over at Inspired By!  Thanks for popping in today!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Mr Twigster, Good Greetings, Gorgeous Grunge (all ret)
Card stock & Papers	Real Red, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink	Stazon Black, Real Red, Craft White, Balmy Blue
Accessories	Dimensionals, Striped Ribbon (ret), Holiday Rhinestones, White Embossing Powder
Tools	Big Shot, Little Treat Box Die, Stitched Banners Dies (Pretty Pink Posh), Trio of Tags Dies (small snowflake), Snowflakes Dies (Taylored Expressions), Heat Tool

IB136 For Real

So, confession time.....I messed up my Inspired By post earlier today by sharing with you NEXT WEEK's inspiration!  So upsetting!  My teammate Michele encouraged me to go ahead and create a card for this week anyway, despite the fact that my mojo was in the tank!  And guess what....I made a card in about ten minutes!  So here is the REAL inspiration for this week:

Anyone remember the movie Endless Summer?  It came out in 1966; I definitely remember those graphics, but I never saw the movie!  I just used my one and only surfer image a couple of weeks back, so I didn't want to use him again, but my friend Amy just bought the Sailing Home stamps and dies and was looking for inspiration, so I decided to use the sailboat die for my graphic-design card:

I sort of used the sketch, although I wasn't really trying!  I simply cut layers of Poppy Parade and Magenta Madness to fit my card front and added a big Daffodil Delight "sun". I diecut the sailboat from Basic Black and the "enjoy" is from the retired Mini Treat Bag dies.  I did do a wee bit of stamping on the water and added some seagulls from Sailing Home:

I think this will make a great masculine birthday card...I am so glad Michele "made" me make a card for this week...thanks, Michele!  I hope you'll play along with our pretty summer inspiration this week at Inspired By!  And thank YOU for stopping by!  

What I did with my free time today....dill relish!  Only had four big cucumbers and there are NO LIDS AND SEALS to be found in my area....had to scrounge around my cupboards just to make these jars!

I guess I should be glad that canning has been so popular this summer!  Who remembers the "pop" the jars would make as they cooled off...a sure sign of a good seal!  Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Sailing Home, Gorgeous Grunge (ret)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Basic Black, Poppy Parade, Magenta Madness, Daffodil Delight
Ink	Poppy Parade, Memento Black
Accessories	Dimensionals
Tools	Big Shot, Layering Circles Dies, Smooth Sailing Dies

Praise Team Thanks

Happy Monday, peeps!  I have two cards for you today, and they are both thank you cards to members of our church's praise team!  They have been faithful about sharing their music every Sunday morning for our church's live feed, and I felt compelled to tell them how much I appreciate it!  (Dana is also on the praise team....she got some homemade cupcakes instead of a card, LOL!)  I also have spent some time lately updating the database which lists (almost) all my stamp sets!  My long-time stamping friend/demo Shawn told me recently that she also lists all the sentiments that go with the stamps....quite handy if you're looking for something specific!  But also quite daunting as I have a LOT of stamps!  But anyway, I came across some stamps I totally forgot I had, so I had fun creating with some old friends!

My first card is for the team leader and guitarist; the Less is More challenge is "scribbles, drips or splats"...I just love that description! 

I pulled out Fabulous Four, Epic Celebration and Gorgeous Grunge along with Garden Green and Mint Macaron inks to create his card:

This was pretty straightforward to create, the hardest part was cutting out the guitar, LOL!

The second one is for our organist/pianist.  She is quite an accomplished musician, and I wanted to create something a little more "organic"!!  I stamped a background music stamp in Sahara Sand, then overstamped some images from a long-ago set called Words of Wisdom.  The bird and verse are also from the same set:

I used the colors from the Sunday Stamps challenge:

I colored the bird with Crushed Curry and Crumb Cake inks, and the leaves are Granny Apple Green.

I distressed and sponged the edges of the white panel and mounted in on a Lost Lagoon card base and added some Lost Lagoon ribbon.  And just for fun, I added some Pineapple Punch DSP; it's not "vintage", but somehow, it seems to complement the yellow in the bird!  It felt good to use some of these older stamps!  I love my new ones, but I love the old ones too!  Thanks for popping in today!

Dana got Cassidy a kit to create her own spin art machine!  How cool is that?  She followed the directions and only needed a wee bit of help from mom, and it worked!

Check out those directions---yikes!

It's all wired up, batteries in......

And we have art!

 

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Card One Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Epic Celebration, Gorgeous Grunge, Fabulous Four (all ret)
Card stock & Papers	Mint Macaron, Whisper White, Basic Black
Ink	Stazon Black, Garden Green, Mint Macaron
Accessories	Mini Dimensionals
Tools	AquaPainter

Card Two Project Details—All Products SU! Unless Otherwise Specified
Stamps	Words of Wisdom (ret), Aged Sheet Music (Cornish Heritage Farms ret)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Pineapple Punch DSP (ret), Lost Lagoon (ret)
Ink	Sahara Sand, Crushed Curry, Crumb Cake, Stazon Black
Accessories	Dimensionals, Lost Lagoon Ribbon (ret)
Tools	Big Shot, Stitched Nested Labels Dies, Aquapainter