Color Throwdown #99

Woohoo!  The Color Throwdown is on challenge #99---but are you ready for next week, when the CTD celebrates 100 challenges?  It is going to be awesome….you NEED to check it out!  There are going to be SO many awesome samples…… and some other awesome stuff being given away too!!!   But we have to WAIT another whole week---but it will be here before we know it, so let’s look at the colors Danielle chose for us this week:

 

Remember, you can find all the rules and regs over on the CTD blog---we want you to be able to play even if you don’t have the exact colors, just make sure they’re close!  In fact, I chose some vintage shades of the CTD colors today to make my card.  That Graphic 45 On The Boardwalk DP was calling its siren song to me, I just couldn’t resist using it again this week:

 

Not much stamping here…and this has to be one of the most unusual cards I’ve ever made!  At least as far as embellishments go…..see that little doodad in the bottom right corner….

what IS that thing, anyway?  I found it in my grandma’s button tin, and it had a shank on one end, like a button, and a ring on the other, but for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out what it actually was.  But it had a nice aqed turquoise patina on it, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate it into my card.  I did some curvy sewing and added some additional turquoise shades with the old button, some floss and French knots….to highlight that “Hey Sexy” sentiment!  Fun!!  Someone who has a good sense of humor will get THIS card!  I think this bathing beauty could have been my grandmother:

So run on over to the CTD blog to see what the others have come up with, and to add your creation to the trove!  Meanwhile, you can check out the designers’ samples right here:

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Barbara - Paper Pursuits
• Danielle – is on vacation this week!!!
• Laura --Lil’Inker
• and our Guest Designer for this month, Wanda Cullen, Cullen-ary Creations

Thanks for visiting today---be sure to come back next week!!

• Stamps:  Essential Sentiments, MFT
• Paper: VV, Chocolate Chip, Earthy Pad, Crafty Secrets; On The Boardwalk, Graphic 45
• Ink:  Chocolate Chip
• Acc:  Lots of Tags Die, Wide Striped Grosgrain, Vintage Brads, Floss, Buttons, Sewing Machine, 1/16” punch, Small Oval punch

Two Pups, Two Sketches

Unfortunately, I had to make a pet sympathy card; my niece had to put her beloved Sully to sleep Sunday night due to a heat stroke.  She had gotten him when she was a senior in high school; her senior project was to train him for Canine Partners for Life, but early in training, it was discovered that he had diabetes, so rather than have him put down, my sister’s family adopted him.  So for the last six years, he led a wonderful life with the other menagerie at my sister’s house, running through the woods and fields and living a dog’s life.  Kelly spoiled him rotten!  Lately though, he had been having seizures, and Sunday was just too hot for him; the vet said it was best to put him down.  It was so sudden, no one had time to prepare, so it has been a sad week.  I pulled out Anna Wight’s Good Dog set and made this card, using Taylor’s sketch:

 

I flipped the sketch in order to face the dog inward; this really does NOT look like Sully (he was a Black lab) but I didn’t necessarily want it to remind her of him, but perhaps a doggie friend!! (Silly, I know!).  I chose to make a “frame” of SU’s new Poppy Parade, which matched the Max & Whiskers paper perfectly.  I really wanted that fun print to show through!  I distressed it using the direct-to-paper technique, just rubbing my Crumb Cake ink pad over the paper in a random pattern.  The scallops are in Close to Cocoa and Not Quite Navy.  I added some piercing and a couple little silver embellishments.

Since I had my Max & Whiskers paper already out, I decided to make another card; I must admit, this one went more quickly!  I used Mercy’s sketch:

and since I already had this dog image stamped from my last card (too big) I went ahead and used it on this one:

Really simple & easy!!  Aren’t those papers adorable?  It will be hard not to hoard these, they are so cute!  So thanks for visiting and don’t forget to stop back tomorrow for the CTD!

• Stamps:  Good Dog, Whippersnapper
• Paper:  Sahara Sand, Close to Cocoa, Not Quite Navy, Poppy Parade, WW, More Mustard, Max & Whiskers, Basic Grey
• Ink:  Memento Black, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake
• Acc:  Copics, Grosgrain & Satin ribbon, Scallop Trim Punch, Nesties, Paper Piercer, Silver Embellishments, Jumbo Scallop Punch, EK Success, Copics

ColourQ 39

Hooray for the red, white & blue!  That’s what I thought of when I saw Arielle’s patriotic homespun theme for today’s ColourQ challenge:

Oh, if I only had all the time in the world, I would take up quilting as a hobby too!  Isn’t this little pillow sweet?  I did struggle a little with my card, though…..wanted to add too much fluff and stuff, but in the end kept it pretty simple.  So here we go:

I just got this little apple punch and thought it fit the “apple pie/USA” theme Arielle had in mind!  My sketch inspiration came from a card I saw a couple weeks back:

thought it was just so CUTE, I had to case it.  Unfortunately there is no watermark on the card, so I don’t remember from whose blog I got it! (If it’s yours, please let me know so I can give you credit!  Edited to add:  Thanks to Chris, I know that is was Wanda who made this lovely card!!  Thanks, Wanda!) My card will go to a special friend who is just one of the most generous and creative gals I know!!!  I’ll share with you sometime soon what she made for me!  Here’s the inside….just added the negative apple image and a quick little thank you:

We hope you can play along too and maybe become a Colour Queen!!!  Click on the link on the right sidebar to go to the ColourQ blog and see all the other designers’ lovely samples for today!    Thanks again for stopping by!  And by the next time the CQC comes around, the 4th will have already happened, so I am wishing all my American friends  a happy and safe Fourth of July!

• Stamps:  Trendy Trees, Boho Backgrounds, Background Basic, Text Style, PTI; Whimsical Autumn, Gina K
• Paper:  WW, Night of Navy, Real Red, Bravo Burgundy, Brocade Blue 
• Ink:  Real Red, Craft White
• Acc:  Nesties, Square Scallop Punch, Apple Punch by MS, Cuttlebug EF, Corduroy Ribbon, Gingham Ribbon, Dimensionals

Too Tired to Stamp

HAH!  That’s not 100% true, but I am taking a day off from posting a card. My daughter’s baby shower was yesterday so I am still recuperating from that!  It was wonderful, but there are things that need attention around the house, so I am going to concentrate on that today and I’ll be back tomorrow with my ColourQ card!  Meanwhile, here’s a tiny little peek at yesterday’s event, which had a tea party theme:  “A baby is brewing!”.

The last pic is of my niece’s little boy….he’s almost three months old, so Dana’s little girl and he will be growing up together!  A fun time was had by all!  TFL!

Paper Players Plus!

Happy Sunday to everyone!  I’m back with another Always Playing with Paper Paper Players challenge!  This week, Lesley has challenged us to make an easel card.  She also wanted our creation to be specific---to “honor” our first guest designer, Queenie Jeannie!  She will be moving to Italy very soon, so we wanted to let her know we will miss her (although now that we have blogs, is anyone really that far away?) and we appreciate her being our very first GD!!  So I pulled out the hostess set The More the Merrier, as well as Three Little Words, both from SU to make my easel card.  Here is the front of the unopened card:

And then opened:

This is a pretty simple card since I wanted the easel to be the focus!!  I made a little pop-up of circles, heart and a Designer Label punch to prop up the card.

And can I just say, I am REALLY loving Daffodil Delight!!  It is such a pleasing color, not too strong or too pale.  Just perfect with so many things!  Here I’ve used some retiring Tea Party DP along with DD and Regal Rose.  Be sure to check out what the other Paper Players have come up with and play along with your own easel card creation!  Here are their links:

• Lesley – Always Playing with Paper
• Corie – Creations by Corie
• Jaydee – Stampin’ with Jaydee
• and our guest designer, Jeannie – Jeannie’s Happy World

I hope Jeannie has a wonderful stay in Italy and continues to bless us and others with her creative stamping!

• Stamps:  More the Merrier, Three Little Words
• Paper:  Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight, WW
• Ink:  Stazon, Daffodil Delights, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Crumb Cake
• Acc:  Circle Punches, Designer label Punch, Glitter, Marker, Small Heart Punch, Brads, Dimensionals

Another CAS Christmas

I usually do my weekly Christmas cards on Sunday, but in order to fit them in with my challenges more easily,  I am going to try to do them on Saturdays!  This card was so simple, I felt guilty!  I just love it, though, when you let the paper do the work.  This is some gorgeous vintage stuff from Graphic 45, paired with the Fall to Layout sketch 96:

My card is a tiny bit larger than standard so that I could fit the images in!  Here you go:

Don’t you hate it when the confetti in the Confetti Cream paper interferes with your stamping?  See the first “S” in Christmas?  Grrr… oh well!   TFL today!

• Stamps:  Vintage Christmas Expressions, CHF
• Paper:  Confetti Cream, Riding Hood Red, Graphic 45 Vintage Christmas
• Ink:  Always Artichoke
• Acc:  RHR Ribbon, Chipboard, Brenda Walton

I Love Ice Cream

Mmmm, and I DO love ice cream!  I have had this idea in my head ever since the Square Lattice Embossing Folder came out, and when I saw the F4A18 challenge on SCS this morning, I knew I had to put it to paper!  Ice cream!!  Yum!  This also uses the Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge this week:

And here’s my creation:

Hmmm, pink & red together?  Well, my ice cream cone just needed some oomph, so I added that big corduroy cherry on top!!  Which led to the red ribbon on the bottom….well, why try to analyze my thought process, it’s a fun summery card nonetheless, and someone will enjoy it on their birthday.  And no calories!!  The cone is Crumb Cake, run through the Big Shot with the EF; the scoops are the Scallop Punch.  You can’t get much easier than this for punch art!  Some sprinkles from IBBG and a little glitter, and it’s ready to go.  I added some Neopolitan-colored ribbons to follow the sketch.   I think I might just need to get some ice cream today!  TFL!

• Stamps:  Heart from the Heart, IBBG
• Paper:  WW, Kaleidescope, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, VV, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake
• Ink:  Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake
• Acc:  Scallop Punch, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Grosgrain, Taffeta & Satin Ribbons, Dimensionals, Corduroy Brad, Circle Punch

Digital Doodles Butterfly

Kathy Martin from CardBlanc issued another free digital stamp for her club members, so I thought I would use it to make a card with some new papers I got.  I combined two of her images to make this card:

The flower actually has a bee next to it; I used my Word program to bring the butterfly over top of it and then rotated another butterfly next to it, then printed it out on my printer.  I enlarged the flower image and printed it again to get it to a size that fit my brad, then popped it up on a dimensional.   The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms; I just love this little saying!  It’s on a Nestie tag, and the new Marina Mist ribbon is threaded through it.  That’s the card base as well.  LOVE that color!!  The other papers are from My Minds Eye Home collection.

 

And this is even a “green” card; I used the back of some greeting cards I got at a yardsale on which to print my image!!!  Thanks for visiting today!

• Stamps:  Garden Friend, CHF
• Paper:  Scrap White, Marina Mist, MME Home DP, Pink Pirouette
• Ink:  Stazon
• Acc:  Nesties, Narrow Ribbon, Copics, Scallop Trim Punch, MME Brad, White Gel Pen, Dimensionals

Act 35 Daisy

I haven’t played Stacey’s Curtain Call Challenge for a while, so I thought I would squeeze in some time last night…although I am thinking that my DP is probably not quite Green Galore! Here is her fun challenge inspiration:

and my card:

I used up some DP that will be retiring from the Flock Together and Kaleidescope series, along with the Flower Daisies #2 die cut and a little lady bug from Bugs & Wishes. Sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes. My little stem was stitched with some embroidery floss and the brad is from MME. I am not real happy with my ribbon & bow treatment; it looks odd and out of place to me, but it’s on there and that’s where it’s staying! I used Taylor’s sketch for my layout:

Thanks for the visit today!

• Stamps: Bugs & Kisses, Teeny Tiny Wishes
• Paper: WW, Cameo Coral, Tempting Turquoise, Flock Together DP
• Ink: Cameo Coral
• Acc: Jumbo Brad, Flower Daisies 2 Diecut, Small Oval Punch, Scallop Trim Punch, Taffeta Ribbon, Piercing Tool, Embroidery Floss & Needle

Color Throwdown 98

Ooh, Barbara is the hostess this week and she has a lovely choice of colors for us to play with!  Take a look at these:

She used the beautiful paper from Basic Grey called Cappella as her inspiration, and it has some gorgeous vintage designs!  Right up my alley!!  Remember, you can play along too, even if you don’t have these exact colors—just use something close.  Check out the CTD blog for all the details and how to link your very own creation!!

I used the Mojo Monday sketch 144:

but turned it on its side to make it fit my image:

The stamped image from 100 Proof Press is actually much larger, but I trimmed it down to fit my card. I used a couple of pieces from the BG pad, as well as some Mellow Moss and Blush Blossom panels, both stamped with Vintage Vogue blossoms.  I did  a little sponging in BB on the silhouettes, although it’s difficult to see here.  Since I used such big brads, I only put two on the left side and balanced it with the third on the top right.  I stamped the image in the new Early Espresso, just because I wanted to try it out!  It is a little bit darker and richer than Chocolate Chip….just like espresso!  The little “happiness” is from a retired SU set called Expressive Flexible Phrases.  Oh, and here’s the inside, almost forgot:

Hey, if you want to see what the other CTD designers have come up with, here are the links—give ‘em some love!

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Barbara - Paper Pursuits
• Danielle – Wild Dragonfly Designs
• Laura --Lil’Inker
• and our Guest Designer for this month, Wanda Cullen, Cullen-ary Creations

Thanks for visiting!  Any questions, shoot me an email!  Blessings!