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SUOC69 – Epic Butterflies

SUOC69 – Epic Butterflies published on 3 Comments on SUOC69 – Epic Butterflies

Our theme this week over at SUO Challenges is Anything Sizzix from Stampin’ Up.  Wow…where does one start??  Well I needed a design for swaps at the Regionals in Baltimore and I knew I wanted to use the new Epic Day DSP so I went from there.

SUOC69 - Baltimore Swap CardI think the papers in that set are so beautiful and I love this Daffodil Delight design.  For some reason it said “butterfly” to me so I used my Beautiful Butterflies Die to create this fellow.  I used another lined print to add a smaller layer.  The Flower Trim is so pretty as centers on the butterflies so I dyed some with Daffodil Delight to match the Seam Binding.  To add a little dimension to the card, I chose this zigzag pattern for a crossing panel.  I scored on either side of it then used my Piercing Tool with the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack.  The bow is a shabby bow made from the beautiful Daffodil Delight Seam Binding.  Funny, I don’t normally think of this sunny yellow for a vintage card but I think it works well here.  As you can see, I made a few of these for my swaps and I received some fabulous cards in return.

I have a small announcement to make with regards to SUO Challenges.  This will be my last challenge with them as a design team member.  I have had such an amazing time being on a team with such awesome talent.  Truly, these stampers are some of the best!  I am grateful for the opportunity they have provided to be in their company and look forward to continued inspiration from them (and their new team members!).

I am so glad you dropped by today.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my Epic Butterflies!  Hope your day is wonderful!

Stamp:  Made for You; Paper:  Epic Day DSP, Crumb Cake; Ink:  Crumb Cake; Accessories:  Big Shot, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, 7/8″ Flower Trim, Daffodil Delight Seam Binding, Paper Piercing Tool, Essentials Paper Piercing  Pack, Simply Scored Scoring Tool

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SUOC68 – An Ode to Baja Breeze

SUOC68 – An Ode to Baja Breeze published on 5 Comments on SUOC68 – An Ode to Baja Breeze

Our theme this week at SUO Challenges is Monochomatic Cards so I thought that it was the perfect excuse to show you a card that is all about Baja Breeze.  Yes, it is retiring…sigh….and I know I will have a new favorite in no time but for now, here it is.

SUOC68 - Ode to BajaI started with the beautiful hydrangea from the Best of Flowers set (Best of March).  I love this flower!  The background paper is from Storytime DSP.  Both the notebook paper design and the Baja Breeze design are from that set.  Yes, I know that it is technically supposed to be Pool Party but it really looks like Baja Breeze to me.  I wrapped the blue layer with some Naturals Ribbon (held over from the Holiday Catalog) and then tied on a shabby bow made from the Baja Breeze Seam Binding.  Some Basic Pearls are the finishing touch.

I can’t wait to see what you create this week.  Also, I would like to bid a fond farewell from the SUO Challenges team to my friend Heidi Baks.  She is so incredibly talented and I have loved being inspired by her!!

Thanks so much for stopping in today.  See you again soon!

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SUOC67- Spring (?)

SUOC67- Spring (?) published on 7 Comments on SUOC67- Spring (?)

Well, I’d love to tell you that spring is in the air but frankly, all I see right now is snow…again.  I am ready to plant my garden and enjoy spring things but not yet.  At least not outside.  The good news is that SUO Challenges is celebrating spring so I’m sure that will make me much happier!!

SUOC67 - Spring FlowersI thought it would be fun to use some spring flowers for my card and what better than this awesome stamp from the Best of Flowers set?  I may be one of the only people who didn’t own this stamp when it originally came out so I was really excited to see it in the “Best of ” series.  I particularly love the size of it!  I inked it up with Pink Pirouette, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade, then I spritzed it with water to help the colors run together a bit.  I spritzed the sentiment too to make it match.  I love this technique and haven’t used it in a while. I think it works well for stamps like this one and I’m happy with the watercolor look!  I pulled out some old more recent Sale-a-bration offerings with the ribbon and the button.  These products are the gift that keep on giving and I love that they go so well with the print from Tea for Two DSP.

Fab Fri Logos-012The colors for today’s card come from the Fab Friday Challenge.  Aren’t they pretty??!!  The card is a CASE (copy and share everything) of myself and it is based on this card.  Why did I CASE myself??  Because I was chosen as the Featured Stamper over at Splitcoaststampers this week and I thought it would be fun to play along with the challenge.

I certainly hope that you have a little bit of spring where you are but if not, just create a little in your craft area!!  The design team has some amazing examples and I know you will be inspired to join in!

Back tomorrow with the latest sketch from Freshly Made Sketches!  Thanks for stopping in today.  See you soon!

Stamp:  Best of Flowers (March), Petite Pairs; Paper:  Tea for Two DSP, Sahara Sand, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla; Ink:  Pink Pirouette, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade; Accessories:  SAB 2012 Ribbon, SAB 2013 Button, Dimensionals

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SUOC66 – Easter Basket

SUOC66 – Easter Basket published on 6 Comments on SUOC66 – Easter Basket

We have a wonderful theme this week over at SUO Challenges!  We are celebrating Easter.  Be it religious or fun little bunnies and baskets, we want to see it!

SUOC66 - Easter BasketI thought it would be fun to create an Easter basket complete with little eggs.  I started with the Floral District DSP (yes, I know…I really do love it).  The bright colors are just like the colors I love on our family eggs.  I started by punching out the Rose Red design with the Petite Purse Die and cut off the front panel to create the basket.  I then found the oval in the Oval Framelits that was just a tad smaller than the width of the basket.  I cut that oval and then cut it again with the next smaller oval to form the handle.  The eggs are made with the Large Oval Punch.  I put part of a little doily at the basket edge and attached a little bow made from Baja Breeze Seam Binding.  After playing around with the sketch for a while, I accidentally knocked the Daffodil Delight panel askew…and I liked it so it stayed that way permanently.  I have to admit that this little basket makes me really happy!!  I hope you like it too!

I am looking forward to the Easter entries in the gallery!  Thanks for dropping in to visit today.  I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest from Freshly Made Sketches (it is my sketch this week)!  Hope your day is great!

Stamp:  Teeny Tiny Wishes; Paper:  Floral District DSP, Baja Breeze, Whisper White; Ink:  Baja Breeze; Accessories:  Big Shot, Petite Purse Die, Ovals Framelits, Large Oval Punch, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Neutrals Buttons, Baja Breeze Seam Binding

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SUOC65 – Hello Green

SUOC65 – Hello Green published on 5 Comments on SUOC65 – Hello Green

Are you dreaming of the beautiful greens of spring yet??  Well, I have to admit that my house is holding out for one really good snow (with enough for sledding) but after that, bring on the spring!!!  But to brighten up our cold, icky days (at least here in VA) this theme from SUO Challenges seems particularly refreshing!  We are “Going Green”!  Of course there are a couple of interpretations of this but I went literally and chose one of Stampin’ Up’s fabulous greens for the focus…Lucky Limeade.

SUOC65 - Hello GreenI will admit that it took me a while to warm up to Lucky Limeade.  Maybe I am a late adapter??  Funny enough though, I find myself turning to it more lately.  So I decided to go all out on it to see what happened.  I chose two prints from the pretty Tea for Two DSP and went from there.  The large banner simply has two pieces of the striped paper that were matched up so that it would be wider.  I thought this pretty flower from Oh, Hello would be a nice addition and give one little pop of another color.  In this case, it is Calypso Coral.  I stamped the sentiment onto some Very Vanilla and then punched it out with my 2-1/2″ Circle Punch.  After stamping the flower, I cut it out and put it on the circle to give an “out of the box” effect.

pp134To point me in the right direction on this card, I use this awesome sketch from The Paper Players.  Great one, huh?  

Well, I can’t wait to see all of your green this week.  It is sure to be another fantastic gallery!  I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  Until then, I hope your day is great!

Stamp:  Oh Hello; Paper:  Tea for Two DSP, Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade; Ink:  Lucky Limeade, Calypso Coral; Accessories:  2-1/2″ Circle Punch, Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, 1-3/8″ Square Punch, Dimensionals

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SUOC64 – Sale-a-bration fun!

SUOC64 – Sale-a-bration fun! published on 10 Comments on SUOC64 – Sale-a-bration fun!

Oh what fun…it is time to celebrate Sale-a-bration (SAB) over at SUO Challenges this week!  Frankly, what is not to celebrate!!  Free products just for getting what you were already going to purchase.  Yea!!

SUOC64, SAB Class - SAB FunSo I had a bit of a dilemma for today’s post.  Two cards!  Which one to choose for the SUO Challenges site??!!  I went with the one that we made at my SAB class last week but will show you the other one, of course.  Something about this card really spoke to me and my stampers loved it too.  The stamp set, Vintage Verses, is one that can stand alone with only a small amount of extra or one that can be all “fancied up” (see the design team’s cards at the challenge site!).  I love that kind of flexibility!  I dyed on of the 5/8″ Flower Trim flowers with Midnight Muse ink and added it right on top of the sentiment (also stamped with Midnight Muse).  A Basic Pearl called out to be used and I love it here.  I thought it needed a little extra something, so I pulled out my new Stampin’ Distess Tool to distress the edges of the top layer.  Easy, fast and fabulous distressing!  Love this new tool!  A couple of my stampers were planning to use this as a Valentine’s card but the sentiment is perfect for many things.  Did I mention it is free??  So much to love with SAB!

SUOC64 - SAB 2Now I created another card using basically the same idea but I added a little bit of the lace from the Artisan Embellishments Kit under the flower.  Oh how I love this lace!!  It adds another special touch with no extra work!

So I’m curious which version you like better.  To make it more fun, I’ll offer a little blog candy.  Let me know which you prefer and I will randomly choose someone to receive the most popular version.  Make sure you tell me your favorite and why in a comment to this post.  I’ll chose from everyone who comments on Saturday, Feb. 16th and then send it right out to the winner.

I know I have been missing a bit over the last few weeks and I appreciate your patience with me.  I have been trying to recharge the creative batteries a bit.  Working on lots of ideas and I look forward to showing you those over the next few months.  In the mean time, please know how grateful I am that you spend a part of your day with me!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest from Freshly Made Sketches.  Now hop right over to the SUO Challenges site and you will be AMAZED at what you see.  Can’t wait to see what you share from you SAB projects!

Stamp:  Vintage Verses (SAB); Paper:  Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla; Ink:  Midnight Muse, Rose Red Reinker (bottom card); Accessories:  5/8″ Flower Trim, Basic Pearls, Artisan Embellishments Kit (bottom card), Dimensionals, Stampin’ Distress Tool (top card)

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SUOC63 – My little Valentine

SUOC63 – My little Valentine published on 4 Comments on SUOC63 – My little Valentine

Our theme at SUO Challenges this week is Clean and Simple Valentines.  Such a great and timely theme!!  After such a great turn out for our last challenge, I am really excited to see what everyone does with this one.

Club Valentine

My club meeting on Thursday was cancelled because of the snow days but we will be meeting this week instead.  I can’t wait!  We will be making this Valentine card.  I started with the doily and then layered on some circles.  My new Hearts a Flutter Framelit cut the little heart out of Tea for Two DSP.  A little bow from Crumb Cake Seam Binding and a little sentiment from Tiny Tags finish it off.  I love that this has some great details but is still clean and quick to make.

Sorry to be so short today.  We have had some “snow” days and the boys were out of school last Thursday, part of Friday and yesterday.  Thankfully my youngest’s birthday party was able to happen over the weekend…a pool party in January!  The boys had such a great time and they have such wonderful friends.  I am working to catch up, of course!

Make sure you drop by the challenge site to see all the inspiration from the team.  Fabulous as always!  Thanks so much for stopping in today.  Hope your day is great!

Stamp:  Tiny Tags; Paper:  Crumb Cake, Tea for Two DSP, First Edition DSP; Ink:  Crumb Cake;  Accessories:  1-3/4″ Circle Punch, 2-1/2″ Circle Punch, Big Shot, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Crumb Cake Seam Binding, Neutrals Buttons, Linen Thread, Jewelry Tag Punch, Tea Lace Doilies, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals

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SUOC62 – These are a few…

SUOC62 – These are a few… published on 2 Comments on SUOC62 – These are a few…

…of our favorite new things!!  Spring Catalog things, that is!!  At SUO Challenges this week, our theme is “New Toys”!  Perfect for the new year, don’t you think?  Now we know that all of you don’t have your new products from the Spring Catalog yet, so if it is new to you, we’d love to see it!

SUOC62 and Control Freaks - BannerI am so excited to finally get to share this card with you.  Finally??  Well, I actually made this back in December for a Control Freaks Spring Catalog swap and have been looking forward to posting it!  My very first, “had to have it” product from this new catalog was the Hearts a Flutter Bundle…yep, the stamp set and the coordinating framelits.  They are so much fun!!  All I did was stamp the images in a little row, line up the framelits (use a small piece of a post-it note to hold them in place), and run them through the Big Shot.  I added in this fun little doily and put some texture on the background with the Honeycomb Embossing Folder.  I thought Linen Thread was the perfect banner holder.  I tied a little loop in one end and put a separately tied bow on the other.  A little sentiment from Tiny Tags and it is a fun little Valentine.  I loved that it uses non-traditional colors!

I can’t wait to hear what you think about this.  I really can’t wait to see what you create for our challenge this week!  I know you’ll love what the rest of the team has created so head right over there to get inspired.

If you didn’t see the fun announcements from yesterday’s post, make sure you roll down to take a look.  I’ll be back tomorrow with the latest from Freshly Made Sketches.  Until then, I’m so glad you stopped in.  See you soon!

Stamps:  Hearts a Flutter, Tiny Tags; Paper:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Calypso Coral; Ink:  Calypso Coral, Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight, Crumb Cake; Accessories:  Big Shot, Hearts a Flutter Framelits, Honeycomb EF, Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Linen Thread, Mini Glue Dots, Boho Blossoms Punch, Basic Pearls

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SUOC61 – Everything Blue

SUOC61 – Everything Blue published on 1 Comment on SUOC61 – Everything Blue

I hope that your week is going well!!  We have a great new theme for you at SUO Challenges this week – Everything Blue.  Let’s face it, blue is the favorite color of so many people and it is fun to focus on one color!

SUOC61 - Thank youI could not hold off any longer.  I just had to pull out more new things from the Spring Catalog.  My “something blue” this week is a sneak peek at some new designer paper called Tea for Two.  All the paper prints on this card are from that set.  The little doily is such a fun way to add texture without bulk and they come in sets of 24.  I cut this one in half then wrapped the edges around the DSP.  Fun, huh??!  A little Linen Thread and a Vintage Faceted Button added just the right vintage touch.  Finally, I stamped a sentiment from Day of Gratitude onto the DSP (the strip and the stamped pieces are front and back side).  I hope you like this quick and sweet little thank you card!  We are now entering the season of the thank you card and I should be able to make a set of these pretty easily for timely mailing!

Thank you, too, to all my readers.  As we approach the end of the year I want you to know that your comments are such a gift to me!!  I appreciate be able to share my love of stamping with you!

Stamp:  Day of Gratitude; Paper:  Tea for Two DSP, Crumb Cake; Ink:  Soft Suede; Accessories:  Tea Lace Paper Doilies, Linen Thread, Vintage Faceted Buttons

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SUOC60 – All that Glitters…

SUOC60 – All that Glitters… published on 7 Comments on SUOC60 – All that Glitters…

…must be from Stampin’ Up!!  Ok, maybe not EVERYTHING that glitters but there sure are a lot of things from SU that do!!  So it seems like the perfect time for SUO Challenges to do this theme – Glitter Galore.

What better to use for a sparkly theme than the Glimmer Paper??!!  I love this paper!  It is so amazing in person!  I cut out some snowflakes using the Snow Flurry Die.  Then I simply mixed a couple drop of Not Quite Navy reinker and a few drops of water, using that to color the bigger snowflakes.  You can play around with the color until it is what you like (I used a small scrap first).  After it dried, I layered a “plain” silver snowflake on top (not really very plain, after all).  I love the effect!  A Basic Rhinestone was the perfect thing to add to the centers.  Now for the sentiment.  With all the sparkle I couldn’t just use any old thing to stamp the sentiment.  I pulled out my Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  To get a little color behind the sparkle, stamp your sentiment onto a Versamark Pad and then onto a Basic Gray pad.  This will make your ink sticky and the embossing powder will stick perfectly (don’t forget to use your Embossing Buddy first).

The team has made some spectacular projects…you might consider some sunglasses for all the sparkle!  *smile*  We can’t wait for you to show us your glitter and glam!!

So glad you dropped by today.  I am still madly working on my Christmas cards but will be back tomorrow with another Freshly Made Sketches card.  Until then, have a great day!

Stamp:  More Merry Messages; Paper:  Silver Glimmer Paper, Whisper White; Ink:  Versamark, Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy Reinker;  Accessories: Big Shot, Snow Flurry Die, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Basic Rhinestones, Heat Tool, Dimensionals

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