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

Coming Soon---100,000 BLOG CANDY!

Wow, somehow my counter zipped right past the 100,000 mark!!! Where was I? That calls for some blog candy! I'll be looking around for some goodies you could win, so stop back in a day or so!!

3D Best Wishes

I have been a bad blogger lately; I haven't read or posted in a couple days! So I have a couple things to share today. First is today's color challenge at SCS: Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango and Summer Sun, lots of fun bright colors. In my latest Stampin' Success mag, they highlighted 3D cards, and cards with different folds, and this one looked fairly easy, so I thought I would use my LAST piece of Pacific Point, along with a number of stamps from different sets:

The sides fold out, but when flat, it fits into a regular-sized envelope. Here are a couple other views:

 

These are the elements, popped up on double dimensionals, before I adhered the sides together.

 

 

 

 

 

A fun, cheerful card!

 

• Stamps: Best Wishes & More, Flight of the Butterfly, Short & Sweet, Holiday Blitz, Dotted Wheel
• Paper: Pac Point textured, WW, Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun
• Ink: Tangerine Tango, Pac Point, Summer Sun
• Acc: Punches, dimensionals, Pigtails Rickrack, Corner Rounder

Yesterday's Clean and Simple SCS challenge was to do paper piercing, so here is my sample for that technique using a Kim Hughes stamp set called Making the Grade:

All the DPs are Basic Grey's Urban Prairie, card is Kiwi Kiss.

Finally, for tonight's workshop, I have been highlighting the Big Shot and have been wanting to do a quilt card for quite a while, so I gathered up some Raspberry Tart scraps and my 1 1/4" square punch and came up with this, using the Top Note die:

I added a few other BS die cuts---buttons, flowers and leaves, and really, that was it. I didn't fluff it up and add stitching or anything! Now that I look at it though, I am seeing a big empty spot right in the middle.....gotta fix that with something! This will go to my hostess along with all her other hostess goodies. It also uses a retiring set, Cute and Curly...gonna miss that one!

Thanks for visiting, and be sure to come back tomorrow, it is MY turn to choose the Color Throwdown colors, and you won't want to miss that!!!

Inkspirations Sketch Challenge

My bloggin' friend from down under, Makeesha, has a cute sketch challenge that I always want to play but never seem to get around to, and since she actually challenged me to play along, I made it a priority today!   Here is the sketch, it is a really fun one:

 

 

and since I am trying to use some of my less-used sets, I pulled out Lovely as a Tree and paired it with my new set, Define Your Life:

 

It's hard to see but the tree was stamped in Sage Shadow Craft ink, then heat embossed with Iridescent Ice EP.  The rest is fairly simple; Sage Shadow and Brocade Blue are the colors I used; a little twig punch from MS and some white brads from my stash add the embellishments.  Ribbon is SU's pretty organdy.  I wish you could see it IRL, with all the sparkle!

I also did a real quick card for this week's CAS Fall to Layout #47 sketch:

 

 

My sentiment is not quite as big as the sample:

 

This is Bella Bleu DP, one of the few that didn't retire.  The colors are sort of odd---the catalog says Kraft and Not Quite Navy, and yet my card uses Sahara Sand and Brocade Blue.  I think they match more closely, don't you?   Dreams du Jour and the new Teeny Tiny Wishes are the stamps used.

Thanks for visiting today, enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Provencal

Today's card hits three challenges!!

• SCS Limited Supply Challenge, International Flair, or to use a foreign language
• Mojo Monday 91 Sketch
• Flourishes Timeless Tuesday- Kim Poloson Poster Inspiration

So here is the sketch:

And here's the card, based on this poster:

This card measures 3 1/2" x 7 ", so it will fit easily in a business-size envelope. All the patterned papers are from Crafty Secrets Earthy pad; the green floral has been overstamped (again) with French Script, and I smooshed More Mustard all over the argyle to bring it more in line with the colors I was using. Watercolored image is a retired Hostess set, Provencal and is stamped on the reverse side of the argyle pattern; sentiment is from Sweet Violets by Flourishes. Pretty straight-forward, nothing fancy as this will be going to our retired minister who just had knee surgery! Thanks for visiting today!

• Stamps: French Script, Provencal, Sweet Violets by Flourishes
• Paper: Confetti Cream, Always Artichoke, Ruby Red, Earthy by Crafty Secrets
• Ink: Stazon, Ruby Red, Garden Green, Always Artichoke, Creamy Caramel, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip
• Acc: Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Button & thread, dimensionals, aquapainter, RHR ribbon, Wide Grosgrain ribbon from my stash

Boats and Trucks

Edited to add: Well, this is NOT a car, so I changed my title to Boats and Trucks! LOL!

Well, I am off baby things and on to more masculine things! Once again, my masculine birthday card file is seriously depleted, so I thought I should replenish it. The Diva Coffee Break challenge was a color one, and although I think it is supposed to be SU only, I cheated and used an Artistic Outpost set called Home. First, here are the colors:

Love them! Now on to the creation:

I have to tell you, the Bashful Blue threw me off....it just didn't fit in THIS card---in the sample, it looks great, but....I grunged it up with some Sahara Sand ink and you can barely tell it's there! I had no Artichoke taffeta ribbon, so I dyed some Kraft ribbon by running it over my Always Artichoke stamp pad, then drying it with my heat tool. Tada---Artichoke ribbon! This is also for the Rubbernecker Wacky Wednesday challenge, which is to use ovals on our card. I used oval and scalloped oval punches here.

Now on to the boat! I made this a couple days ago for the SCS color challenge, which was Baja Breeze and Ruby Red. I had this image stamped a long time ago when visiting my stampin' buddy Shawn, so I pulled it out and watercolored it quickly:

I love how easy it is to watercolor on Shimmery White cardstock! I am sad that this set is retiring! Thanks for visiting today!

• Car card stamps: Expressive Flexible Phrases, (retired SU), Home, Artistic Outpost
• Paper: Kraft, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, VV, Patterns DP
• Ink: Always Artichoke, Night of Navy
• Acc: Oval Punch, Oval Scallop Punch, Piercing Tool, Button, Twill, Always Artichoke Marker, Sahara Sand marker, Kraft Taffeta

• Boat card stamps: Boatloads of Love
• Paper: Baja Breeze, Ruby Red, Shimmery White
• Ink: Stazon, Baja Breeze, Ruby Red
• Acc: Grosgrain, Star Punch, brads dimensionals, aquapainter

Color Throwdown #47

Wow, Danielle picked some great colors for this week's challenge:  Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise and Kiwi Kiss, or lime green. 

I was contrary and chose Green Galore, and you'll see why in a second!  Let's see what summery confections you can concoct with these colors!  Post your creation on your blog or an online gallery, use the keyword CTD47, and come on back to the Color Throwdown blog and link the exact address to good old Mr Linky.  You could even be lucky enough to be chosen our Featured Stamper and a Guest Designer!!!

I searched and searched my DP stash to find something that matched these colors--then I remember the Birthday Kit I won from Taylored Expressions on Laura Frederick's blog! Perfecto---see why I used the Green Galore? I seem to be on a baby card kick this week, so I made another to add to my stash, this time using an upcoming SU set, Animal Stories.  And believe me, you will ONLY see this kind of elephant in a story:

I based my sketch on Sketch 99 from Sketches! {by tamara} after seeing Barbara's lovely card there:

My little Ellie was stamped in Tempting Turquoise, with Cameo Coral flowers from Flight of the Butterfly and hand-drawn stems and grass in Green Galore marker.  The sentiment is from Nursery Necessities, punched and layered.   I just had to get rid of that "vacant" eye, so I filled it in with a black marker and gave her some eyelashes too!!!  She was diecut with a Nesties Label #4 and popped up as well.  Some ribbon from Mike's and even some stamping and embellishing on the inside:

 

finish off the card.  And there are tiny little blingy rhinestones on the flower centers, too!

 

 

 

So let's take a peek at what the other designers came up with this week:

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

Now go stamp something!!!

• Stamps:  Animal Stories, Nursery Necessities, Flight of the Butterfly
• Paper:  WW, Green Galore, Cameo Coral, Doodlebug Design DP
• Ink:  Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise
• Acc:  Markers, Michael's ribbon, Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Nesties Label 4, Curly Label Punch, Dimensionals, Bling

Oh Baby Baby!

Last week's Color Throwdown card was a baby card for a boy; you might remember I made that card for a family from our church in the hopes that they might actually have a girl....and guess what!  They did have a girl!  Grace Elizabeth arrived on June 13--what a happy day for everyone!

So off I went to make a little girl card...so many ideas floating in my head, and I still haven't sent this one out because I am still not sure of it:

I feel like it is a little busy, what with the two different DPs and all.  I had to have this DP, I think it is from October Afternoon, and have hardly used it at all. It features some vintage designs that appealed to me, which is great for scrapping, maybe not so applicable for cards.  Anyway, I am still thinking on this one.....the image is from Puns from the Past, sentiment is PTI Mixed Messages.  Because of the busy-ness, my stamping is minimal.  I added some satin and gingham ribbon as well as a little button and bow, and it was done.  Let me know what you think!  I really need to get it in the mail!

Meanwhile, some of my customers have really amped up their mojo (hi Beth) and continue to amaze me with their talent:

Isn't this sweet?  I am filing that ribbon/oval treatment in my head for future CASEing reference!  And look how nice the envelope and the inside are stamped:

 

I treasure all these wonderful beauties!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget that tomorrow is the CTD challenge!

• Stamps:  Puns from the Past, Mixed Messages, PTI
• Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Mellow Moss, Barely Banana, Naturals Ivory, October Afternoon DP
• Ink:  Close to Cocoa
• Acc:  Gingham & Satin Ribbons, Nesties, CB Tag Diecut,  Button, string, sponge dauber