Color Throwdown #49

Happy Wednesday!  Welcome to the 49th Color Throwdown!  We'd love to have you play with us; if you don't have these exact colors, choose something close.  Post your creation on your blog, or an online gallery, then come back to the CTD blog and link it to Mr. Linky!

Today Tammy chose these three lovely colors after being inspired by this cool boho top:

I can see why she was inspired, it is just gorgeous!  Luckily, I did happen to have a few sheets of Soft Sky and Groovy Guava left! 

I recently saw a post about One-Sheet Wonders (or OSWs) and I thought this would be a cool technique to use for this challenge.  I pulled out the brand-new Circle Circus from SU's new catalog, which debuts today!  If you like "elements", you'll love this set.  Great designs to play with!  Anyway, I took a plain sheet of Whisper White and began to randomly stamp my designs in the CTD colors:

I stamped each element all over the cardstock until it was all covered:

Basically, you are making your own designer paper!  Don't be afraid to stamp off the edge of the paper!  That gives it a look of continuity.  Believe me, there was no rhyme or reason to this, I just stamped and stamped!

Then, I gathered some Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava and Soft Sky cardstock for the card bases and began to cut up my OSW.  Some people actually have a template and measure it out....this time, I just cut up pieces as I went along.  I was doing this in the wee hours of the morning, so my mind wasn't up to anything too detailed!  Anyway, I did manage to get nine cards out of this one sheet:

(There aren't nine shown here--I made doubles of a couple of them!)  I just played around with the layouts, using some punches and simple embellishments so as not to detract from the "busyness" of the OSW.  Here are some closeups:

This last one is a little 3x3 notecard.  All of these cards will be going to Cards for Heroes, something I will be trying to do once a month.  So lets see what the other designers did with these colors:

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Cathy - Crafty Thoughts
• Barbara - Paper Pursuits
• Juliana Swanson/July Guest Designer - Stampin' With Inky Fingers
• and Danielle is on vacation this week!

Thanks for visiting---now go stamp something! :D

• Stamps:  Circle Circus, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Trendy Trees, Pocket Silhouettes
• Paper:  WW, Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky
• Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Groovy Guava, Soft Sky, Versamark
• Acc:  Scallop Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Tag Punches, Circle Punches, Oval Punches, Designer Label Punch, Word Window Punch, Corner Rounder, Brads, Piercing Tool, Misc Ribbon, Dimensionals, Clear EP, Heat Tool

Happy Mail Day

I just love getting happy mail!  And it is because of my blog that I have met so many wonderful, kind, generous people!
First, Doris at The Stamping Tower sent me this nice card with a wonderful note inside:

She used embroidery floss as an embellishment--who of us doesn't have a lot of that!!!  What a great idea, and I love how she echoed the direction of the floss with the script on this BG paper!  Thanks, Doris!

Next, my friend Renee at My Life's Inky Escape and More sent me this big box which was quite heavy!  What was in it????  Lookee here:

Isn't this pretty?  And it was WELL-tied, she really made me work to get it open!  And here is what was inside:

Yummy!  Mix it with cream cheese and you have got a dip that is already making my mouth water!  What a sweet gift!  Thanks so much, Renee!  I had seen this box made from a Lauren Meader template on her blog....so clever and sneaky of her to send it to me!

Thanks again ladies!  You are so sweet!

Watercolor Monday

Don't forget to comment for some Blog Candy!! You can see the details here.

I have been reading all my blog candy comments and a lot of you said watercoloring was one of your favorite techniques!  Mine too!  And so I thought I would share a couple cards I made over the weekend just for the fun of watercoloring--no challenges, no special reason, just for fun!

Here's a cute little hedgie stamped in Stazon and watercolored on Shimmery White paper.  Very simply done, I added some glitter to my little butterfly. Isn't he sweet?  Since Tea Party is not retiring, I pulled out a couple pieces I had left and did some layers with it and some Pretty in Pink.  I tied it all together with some taffeta ribbon for a sweet thank you card.

Now, for a totally different feel, I stamped the flower from Friends 24-7 on watercolor paper, again in Stazon.  I used some Bella Bleu papers and stamped off the flourish from the same set on some Very Vanilla for my circle sentiment.  I also very lightly stamped the speckle from Itty Bitty Backgrounds on my image to give it a more watercolored look.

Hopefully I will have something later for the Clean and Simple challenge on SCS today---SPARKLE!  Who doesn't love that!?  Thanks for visiting!

• Stamps for Thank You card:  Fast & Fun Notes, Short & Sweet
• Paper:  Cert Celery, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Shimmery White, Tea Party
• Ink:  Stazon, Cert Celery, So Saffron, More Mustard, Pretty in Pink, Almost Amethyst
• Acc:  Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Oval Punch, Taffeta Ribbon, Dazz Diamonds, Dimensionals. Aquapainter

• Stamps for Here for You card:  Friends 24-7 , IBBG
• Paper:  Naturals Ivory, Watercolor, Very Vanilla, Brocade Blue, Kraft, Bella Bleu
• Ink:  Stazon, Night of Navy, Brocade Blue, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand
• Acc:  Aquapainter, Circle Punches, Daubers, Dimensionals, RR Brads, Taffeta Ribbon

Blog Candy!

 

I finally gathered up some goodies to put together as blog candy for my 100,000 hits! 

So here is a partial list of what's included.  Please note, that SOME of these items may be partially used, like the chipboard may have a few pieces missing.  Others are BRAND NEW!! 

 

• Martha Stewart Mica Flake glitter
• Maya Road Butterflies and Bugs Chipboard
• Prima Mulberry Flowers
• Stampin' Up! Sponge
• Stampin' Up! Note of Thanks Mini Note Kit
• Making Memories Colored Staples- 5 colors
• Martha Stewart Floral Gingham Tissue paper pack 12x12-24 sheets
• Stampin' Up! Certainly Celery Twill Ribbon spool
• Hand-stamped pin
• Miscellaneous ribbon
• A few metal edge tags
• Stampin' Up! Linen Magic Mesh
• Rhinestone Stickers
• Huge sample pack of Marco's Papers--5 1/2"x4"--a sampling of every kind they offer
• Stampin' Up! Designer Paper - one 6x6 piece of all recently retiring papers
• Several sheets of 12x12 Designer Papers--some SU, some other manufacturers
• Plus whatever else I find to toss in there!

PLEASE NOTE:  This is only open to US and Canadian readers---so sorry!  So what do you need to do to win?  Just leave me a comment and tell me what your favorite stamping technique is right now.  I love to watercolor--that's what I do when I want to relax and make a card.  This will only be open until June 30, and then I will draw a winner at 6 am on July 1!  And remember:  If you do not have your email address linked to your name, provide it for me in some other way.  I cannot reply to let you know you've WON if I do not have your email!  I would hate to have someone lose out just because of that!

Hopefully I will be able to stamp some today as we will be sailing tomorrow!  Have a marvelous day!

Children in Silhouette

I loved this image when I first saw it on Kay Kalthoff's blog and set out to find it.  It is from 100 Proof Press, which has thousands of vintage images.  I could spend way too much time and money there, since I love that style!  The Limited Supply Challenge this week was "Chinese Menu".  You were to pick one item from three catagories to make your card and it had to be masculine.  I am not sure if this is really masculine, but I would send this to my dad, and he would enjoy it, so I consider that masculine!

Pretty simple; I wanted to do blue and green, but the challenge was for blue and red, and I had red hemp, so I went with that. 

I am still working on my blog candy, so keep an eye open, and I am working on some projects using the new stamps from SU's new catalog---only 4 more days!!!  Thanks for visiting today!

• Stamps:  Children in Silhouette, 100 Proof Press; Vintage Picnic Sentiments, PTI
• Paper:  VV, Urban Garden DP, Riding Hood Red
• Ink;  Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red
• Acc:  Small Oval Punch, Antique Brass HPH, Red Hemp Twine, 1/16" punch, lots of dimensionals

The Weiman Wranglers

If you visited the Color Throwdown blog yesterday, you might have seen an extra card that Tammy made using the digital Weiman Wrangler images.  You can read all about the Ethan Weiman story here, and I hope you will participate!  There are also lots more really neat cards and creations---much more imaginative than these!

I did these pretty late in the evening, so as usual, I made them rather simple.  I did use my limited supply of Copics, and they are so easy to color with!  I just don't have all the shades, or am very good at shading, yet.  It is just a different feel than with watercoloring.  But I am learning!  Here they are separately:

I also used the paisley image from Wanted as a background for both cards.  The great thing about digital images is that you can shrink or enlarge them to the size you want, and you always get a good clear image!  I didn't have any trouble with the ink running with the Copics, either.  I did see one in the gallery of Ava, and she had glitter running down the side of her little pink cowgirl pants.....so cute!!!  Thanks for stopping by today!  Be sure to check out the Pink Cat store and help out a good cause.

• Stamps:  Digital Weiman Wranglers, Wanted by SU
• Paper:  Tangerine Tango Textured, Pacific Point, Crushed Curry, WW, Brocade Blue, Real Red
• Ink:  Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango
• Acc:  Copics, Nesties, Brads, Oval and Oval Scallop Punches, Designer Label Punch, Circle Punches, Hemp Twine, Crushed Curry Ribbon

Color Throwdown #48

Welcome to another Color Throwdown!  This week it is my turn to choose our colors, and I have chosen a couple retiring In Colors, Baja Breeze and Pink Pirouette, and matched them up with a nice neutral, Kraft!   I can't wait to see what you can do with these colors!  Link your creation to Mr Linky at the CTD blog (be sure to use the exact address of your post) so we can all see your wonderful talent!  Don't forget that you could be chosen as a Featured Stamper or even a Guest Stamper if your card is chosen!

So on to my Mish Mash-inspired card!  I just received a big Papertrey order and couldn't wait to ink up the Vintage Picnic set.  It is just so cute and has so many great sentiments---I can see this being used a lot!  I really love Michelle Wooderson's style, so I CASEd her a little bit here with my card:

I just had so much fun making this card!  The image is stamped in Palette Noir on watercolor paper and colored with my aquapainter and reinkers.  I added some vintage lace and buttons from my stash, sewed on the DP and I was done!    But I do have a little confession:  I poked holes in my card to make it easier to sew on the buttons, and I poked right through both pieces all the way to the back of the card!!  So I had to cover the inside as well:

 

 

I added another little image from the set, cut out with Nesties, and stamped a Bible verse from my new Cornish Heritage Farms Scriptures Essentials 1 right on top of a piece of Candy Lane DP.

• Stamps:  Vintage Picnic Basket, Scriptures Essentials 1, CHF
• Paper:  Kraft, Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Parisian Breeze DP, Candy Lane DP, BG Two Scoops, Watercolor
• Ink:  Palette Noir, Sahara Sand, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery
• Acc:  Nesties, Lace, buttons from my stash, needle & thread, Sahara Sand marker, sewing machine

Now let's see what the other designers made this week:

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Cathy - Crafty Thoughts
• Barbara - Paper Pursuits
• Danielle – Wild Dragonfly Designs