Sunday, May 30, 2010

Hip Hip Hooray

Today's Featured Stamper was Emily, aka Scoopy at SCS. She designs for A-Muse and has a wonderful gallery filled with Clean and Simple (CAS) cards. Since I don't do CAS easily, it was fun to case her. It is always good to copy someone else when you are doing something outside your comfort zone. For me, I like CAS but can't quite get the hang of designing a card that doesn't look naked. I cased her Hippo Birdie card. I do like how this one turned out so I may make several like it using the Pun Fun set with different colored card stock. Who knows, I might actually design a CAS on my very own. Thanks for looking! Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Supplies:
Stamp: Pun Fun (SU!)
Paper: Barely Banana (SU!), White (Neenah)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento), Copic Markers
Accessories: Ribbon
(Michaels)

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Happy Mail

On Monday, my oldest daughter returns to college for summer classes. She's been home for the month of May & we are really going to miss her. I want her to have a little 'happy mail' so we will be sending this off soon so she will have it soon after she returns.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Challenges: QFTD11, CC271, IC234- Splitcoast Stampers
Supplies:
Stamps: Pure Innocence (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Dusty Durango, Rich Razzleberry, So Saffron (SU!), Solar White (Neenah), DP- Green at Heart (Basic Grey)
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento), Copic Markers
Accessories: Large Oval Punch, Round Tab Punch (SU!)

Sunday, May 23, 2010

IC233

Today was a great day! I woke up a bit too early (around 4 am) and just couldn't get back to sleep. So instead of fighting it, I started organizing the studio. Really organizing! I removed from my file cubes' hanging pendaflex folders all the retiring SU! papers & put them in a big basket under my desk. I am going to use up as much as I can, but there is a lot there. I have every color in 8.5 X 11 card stock. So that's 24 packages of papers & some (like the purples/lavenders) are nearly full.

I filed some of the newer papers I purchased at the CK convention & a few good finds from other stores including the three local craft shops that I adore. (Red Lead, The Ink Spot, The Checkered Cottage). Each offers a little something different & I have to limit my trips because I always find way too much cool stuff.

Recently, I organized my nestabilites, my brads and embellishments, flowers and embossing powders into new places including some faux leather baskets in solid colors of bright green, an orange and a hot pink (From Hobby Lobby- multiple trips with the 40% off coupon).

I reorganized my stamps; and put my few current favorites sets, my birthday sets and my favorite sentiment sets into two baskets near my work area. I cleared off one side of my center island that serves as a second work surface (it was over-run with magazines, papers and other odds and ends). Now, I have a place for scrapbooking or other bigger projects where I can leave that current project out until it is done. Since I joined the SEI club where I receive a project each month this was a quite a necessity!

I am so thankful to have a studio room of my own where I can store all my wonderful crafting 'tools of the trade' and a place to craft. I would have never thought five years ago that I would have gotten so 'taken' by this hobby, but I love it and it seems I love it more with each passing year. I have met some marvelous women through SCS, here in St. Louis and more recently a few new friends through the CK convention. Life is sweet!

My first card:
Image: Matthew 7:7 (Stampabilities) & Innoscents 2 (Heartfelt Creations)- these fit blossom 2 nestabilities
Paper: Crushed Curry, white, DSP- Razzleberry Lemonade
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento); Copic Markers (I'm learning), white craft & summer sun for distressing
Accessories: Nestability Blossom 2, In stitches template (brazzil), Emboss & punch (fiskars), stickles


I posted a card yesterday in honor of Deborah, the Queen for the Day on Friday at SCS. I kept looking at it, not liking something but I decided not to fuss with it. Then when I woke up this morning, I knew exactly what to do. Out came the MS butterfly punch and I added the three little b-flys. I like it much better now. Below is the revised version. What do you think?

My mind must have worked over the problem while I was sleeping and gave me the answer when I woke up. Does that ever happen to you? It is sort of weird, but I am not going to think too much about it as I was just happy to have the improved version.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Plum Good-Byes


Quite a few of the current colors are being discontinued from Stampin' Up, so I am attempting to make cards with those discontinued colors as I know that once the new colors arrive, I am going to be SO excited that the older ones will get set aside. So last evening I made a few cards with the lavender and purple shades.
My first card was for the Queen for the Day challenge on SCS, where Deborah was chosen. She is the nicest person and is an amazing coloring artist. I chose to case this card. I really like the design.
Nothing special about the other cards and all used designer paper from one of the first stack I ever received. I still like it but I hope it isn't out of style.


For the card above, I used a sketch from Papercrafts "Go to Sketches" - page 50.



This last one was done with Orchid Opulence paper instead of Pale Plum.

Have a great weekend, friends!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Con-GRAD-ulations!

Today's Featured Stamper over on SCS was Cathleen (aka ctorina). Cathleen has a beautiful gallery; she makes the most amazing cards with beautiful flowers and ribbon. However, today I needed to get busy making graduation cards. We have several family friends who are finishing their HS years.

I chose to case Cathleen's Whimsical Sheep card. I kept the colors because these are the school colors for the graduating senior. I also kept the design. I changed the papers, the central panel to embossed words and the embellishments.

Have a great week!

Supplies:
Image: Embossed folder- 2 X 2.75 - Congrats (ProvoCraft)
Paper: Black, White, Baja Breeze, Real Red (SU); DP- Real Red (SU-mat pack), Offbeat (Basic Grey)
Ink: None
Accessories: Grad Cap (Sandylion stickers)- the tassel was yellow and I exchanged it with blue embroidery floss, Diploma- handmade with copy paper and embroidery floss, edge punch (Fiskars)

Floral Verse

A pretty floral card with an inspirational bible verse was what I made yesterday for the Inspiration Challenge (IC232) on SCS. I chose to case a pair of purple kitchen gloves from the Two Lumps of Sugar website.

I cased a card from CardMaker magazine, May issue, p62 by Michelle Woerner for the design.

Sentiment: Verse-Stampabilities, Flourish-Inkadinkado
Paper: Lavender Lace, Gable Green, Brocade Blue, Tempting Turquoise, White (SU!), Euphoria (Basic Gray)
Accessories: Purple Bling (Paper Studio), Punches-Boho Blossoms (SU), Frond (MS)

Friday, May 7, 2010

Graduation

It is hard to believe that the college students are ending their semester. My oldest daughter came home today; and on Tuesday, we pick up my youngest daughter. It will be so great to have both the girls home!

With the end of the semester, some students are graduating! This includes one of my husband's co-workers who completed her MBA. Cudos to her for working full-time and going to grad school. Been there, done that, it wasn't easy but sooo worth it. This graduation card is for her.

Have a great weekend! Hugs, Marilyn

Supplies:
Stamp: Congrats (SU!)
Paper: Basic Gray, Basic Black, White, DP- Prestwick (SU!)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); Distressing- Vintage Photo, Broken China (Ranger), Basic Gray
Accessories: Chipboard star, Star punches -large and small, Silver brads (SU), embroidery thread-black (stash), star embossing folder (CB-provocraft)
, old book.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Masculine Blue Thanks

The Featured Stamper today is Michelle (aka Elliotstamps). She has a wonderful gallery. I chose to case this card. I really like this design and I just realized when I went to link Michelle's card that it is one of the Fall to Layout challenges. {This is a no-no for the FS challenge}. Ooops!

My daughter asked me for a thank you card for a friend's parents who have taken her out to dinner with her friend when they visited their daughter at college. I received specific instructions not to make it too 'girly' becasue she wanted her friend's Dad to like it too. So I used some of my favorite designer paper from SU! called Prestwick. It has long since retired, but it is my 'go-to' paper for guy cards. I used a more contempory 'thanks' sentiment in hope my DD would like it.

Have a great evening!

Supplies
Stamps: Make it Count
Paper: Brocade Blue, Basic Gray, White, DSP-Prestwick
Ink: Brocade Blue
Accessories: Circle punches