Happy Sunflower

Another quick post--this card came together very quickly, considering some of my other failures over the past few days! It is for three challenges, too!

1. 365 Cards - to be inspired by a sunflower - also hosted by my friend Ann!!
2. Mojo Monday 98
3. Spicy Supply Challenge at Gingersnap Creations - to use ribbon

So here ya go, quick & sweet:

Thanks for looking!

• Stamps: Sunflower, DRS Designs; Mixed Messages, PTI
• Paper: Shimmery White, Confetti White, Basic Black, Ballet Blue
• Ink: Stazon, Crushed Curry, Summer Sun, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red
• Acc: Brads, Swiss Dots Folder, Nesties, CB Tag Diecut, Gingham Ribbon, Dimensionals, Aquapainter

A Halloween Experiment

Wooo, that conjures up images of cauldrons with bubbling, steamy brews of magic potions....well, that's NOT the kind of Halloween experiment to which I was referring!  While lying in bed, unable to sleep, thinking about stamping, I was intrigued by the idea of brayering some DP to alter the color and create some Halloween paper, so I didn't have to BUY any!  I thought if I brayered Only Orange ink on top of my Rich Razzleberry Patterns DP, it might turn the RR designs into black designs.  Well, it didn't turn quite into black, but I'll let you decide:

It turned into more of a brown, sort of a Chocolate Chip!!  But still kind of cute, so I went with the brown theme.  My upline, Pennie, had diecut a Box #2 in Chocolate Chip for me, so I made a little Halloween treat box (sorry for the not-so-good photo, I am lazy today):

To do this, merely ink up a sponge brayer (you can get them at any craft store) and brayer over your piece of DP.  Be sure to roll evenly & completely so you don't get "lines".  And be sure to wash out your brayer when you're done--don't want any surprises next time!  The Little Boo is stamped in Chocolate Chip, as is the sentiment (Teeny Tiny Wishes) and colored with an Only Orange marker; I added a strip of crimped OO and a handle of Chocolate Chip grosgrain.  So although my experiment didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, it was still kind of cool to be able to alter that DP!

I had also promised from more samples from the Catty Cruise set I used, Falling Leaves.  Here are a couple more:

These both use the acorn motif, which was inked and colored with markers.  Closeup of the place card:

This uses Dusty Durango and More Mustard; Chocolate Chip for the sentiment; the background is Cornelli Lace jumbo wheel.  I dragged the More Mustard pad right across the cardstock to get that rustic effect.

The treat box is the SU Matchbox Die (SO fun to make!) along with the Hostess Patterns DP:

I just love these fall colors!  Thanks for visiting today!  And don't forget to come back tomorrow for Color Throwdown, because it's MY turn!!!  Now here are a couple more birthday cards:

From another CTD designer, Cathy:

and from Wendy (she knows me SO well--I love this set!):

Clean & Simple Stitching

Today's CAS challenge #26 at SCS is to use stitching on your card.  My first one was done late, late last night(too much caffeine at dinner)---not much imagination here:

Stella Ruby paper, some twill stamped with Chocolate Chip craft ink and a button; stitched around the edge of a Sahara Sand card.  After I woke up this morning and had some more caffeine, I thought of another one, this time again using the colors of Mellow Moss, So Saffron and Bravo Burgundy that Stacey selected for her Act 2 Curtain Call.  This will be for a sweet Scottish lady in my church whose birthday is coming up:

Stitching paper to paper is MUCH easier than fabric to paper!  But I still like the look of this CAS card!  Thanks for visiting today!

• Stamps:  Short & Sweet, Vintage Picnic Sentiments, PTI
• Paper:  Confetti White, Sahara Sand, So Saffron
• Ink:  Chocolate Chip Craft, Bravo Burgundy
• Acc:  Twill, Fabric, Buttons from my stash, Flower Layers 3 Die Cut, Sewing Machine, Dauber, Twine

Curtain Call Act 2

It is 12:15 in the morning and this is what happens when I drink regular coffee after dinner---I cannot sleep!  So I stamped, of course!  I was excited to learn that Stacey chose my card as one of her Show Stoppers for the Curtain Call Act 1, so I decided to play her second color challenge as well as use Karen's sketch for this week:

 

I am trying to make some samples with my new SU stamps, so I pulled out Spotlight on Christmas to make a little card:

Pretty simple--two layers on the poinsettia; I added some Gelly Roll sparkle to the center and the dots under the sentiment, although it's impossible to see here!  I love this color combo, I am sure I'll be using it again!

• Stamps:  Spotlight on Christmas, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Cornelli Lace Jumbo Wheel
• Paper:  Mellow Moss, WW, So Saffron, Bravo Burgundy
• Ink:  Bravo Burgundy, Mellow Moss, So Saffron
• Acc:  Nesties, Modern Label Punch, Taffeta Ribbon, Playground Button, thread, Gelly Roll Pen

Little Red Bread Box

To go along with my apron card from yesterday, I remembered a cute little bread box from Mary Jo at Techno Stamper that would work nicely with the bread I've been making with the plethora of zucchini from my garden!  Now it doesn't "match" my apron exactly because I thought it would be a little overkill to stamp all those flourishes on my cardstock, plus I wanted to play with some other stamps!  So here's what I came up with:

The base is Real Red and the DP is from an older Christmas slab. I stamped the image from the PTI Vintage Picnic set in Palette Noir and actually used my Copics for coloring!!! I used the Labels 4 Nestie, with a little tweaking, for my mat....as I look at it, I think I could have done something a little different with the image panel, but it's glued on there now....next time!  I cut out a tag from the Nestie Tag Trio--first time I broke into that one---and stamped the sentiment from the Vintage Picnic Sentiments.  What great sets these are!!!  That'll get tied around my bread.  Here's a peek at the empty box:

 

 

 

 

and a close up of the image:

This is SO easy to make, it looks like you slaved for hours--why don't YOU try one?  And visit Mary Jo's blog and tell her thanks for the awesome tutorial!  Thanks for visiting me today!  And here are a couple more birthday cards from my stash:

From my friend and downline Linda:

and from Denise (peanutbee):

and from my CTD teammate, Barbara:

Red Flourished Apron

This is kind of a weird card....cute, but odd.  The SCS Inspiration Challenge #191 was from Heavenly Hostess, which has all kinds of cool aprons, towels & mitts!  This apron was my inspiration; I got the apron template from Anna Wight's post here.  (Hers is much cuter---I was in a hurry.)  So here ya go:

The little tag actually fits into the pocket.  The card opens at the top of the apron.  The flourish image, stamped in Real Red, is from Friends 24-7, and the sentiment is PTI's Mixed Messages.  I also stamped a couple little flourishes from Everyday Blessings on the pocket.  DP is retired Hostess pack from SU also.  The tag is a CB diecut; ribbon is retired SU red organdy.  I sponged some Sahara Sand around the edges to give it a little depth.  I have a picnic to attend tomorrow, so I will put this with some zucchini bread for the hostess!  TFL--I am off to my porch to relax and work on a crossword puzzle!

Oooh, I almost forgot......there is a new sketch challenge blog coming soon called Get Sketchy; check it out --they have prizes!

Razzleberry Lemonade

I was totally inspired by the cards Becky Oehler showed on her blog here, so I got out my Razzleberry Lemonade designer paper and started cutting.

What a fun way to use lots of small pieces of DP--and be treated to all those fun colors and patterns!  But I noticed when I have a project like this at my stamp camps, sometimes my customers have a hard time mounting and centering these smaller pieces.  So I came up with an easier way to ensure that your panel is even and centered.

I made another card while I was playing, but this time, I wheeled a piece of Melon Mambo with the jumbo wheel Cornelli Lace in Versamark, then heat embossed it with Iridescent Ice EP for a totally different effect:

Here's a little closer view of the embossing:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for visiting today!  And here is another fabulous birthday card I received from Beth:

and from Robyn:

 

Thanks ladies!

• Stamps:  Circle Circus, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Holiday Blitz, Cornelli Lace jumbo wheel
• Paper:  Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, WW, Razzleberry Lemonade
• Ink:  Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, Versamark
• Acc:  Polka Dot Ribbon, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop punch, Dimensionals, scrap paper, Iridescent Ice DP, Heat Tool