Botanical Butterfly Thanks

Here’s my take on yesterday’s Splitcoaststampers Inspirational Challenge (IC694). I chose the Myrial Butterfly pillow from the Country Door on-line store. 

https://www.countrydoor.com/p/myriad-butterfly-pillow-766567.html

 I also chose the Freshly Made Sketch challenge for the week (FMS380)

I used the SU Sale-a-bration DSP called Botanical Butterfly against black cardstock on a Daffodil Delight card base. A single die cut black butterfly & black sentiment finishes it off. 

I hope you like it! 

Nature's Inspiration

Hi There Blogger Friends!
I hope everyone is doing great on this fine Saturday. It's pretty lonely around my house as our oldest daughter moved away to attend graduate school. The oyounger daughter was home from college for a few short weeks but she's back to school taking summer classes. So you will likely see me around a lot more in the future.

My card today is for several challenges. The Splitcoaststampers Inspiration Challenge was a fun one where I chose this cute pendant as my inspiration.

I used the colors over on the Play Date Cafe Challenge.

I used the sketch from Retro Sketches. I wasn't too sure if this sketch would work with my idea, but I think it turned out just fine.

 

The last challenge was for the Simon Says Challenge where Simon said 'show us some texture". My Fleur de Lis embossing folder worked well, plus I always think distressing adds texture. 

Thanks so much for stopping!! Have a great day!

Marilyn

Supplies:
Stamps: Nature Walk, Ephemera (SU)
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Soft Suede, Pacific Poin (SU), Solar WHite (Neenah)
Ink: Soft Suede, Pacific Point (SU), Versamark (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Crumb Cake Seam Binding, Hardware, Brads, Spritzer tool, Big Shot (SU), Fleur de Lis (Cuttlebug-ProvoCraft)

Holiday Card Day

Today was a rather fun day! This morning we made 10 holiday cards at one of the SU demos home. I can't show you those here because they aren't my designs but we did have a fun time. After that I felt in the mood to make more & play a few challenges so this one is for the SCS IC309 challenge. I chose this wallpaper from this week's inspirational website. I love these new Fair-isle stamp sets from Wplus9. I also used the clean and simple sketch FTL165 for my card today. I hope you like it! Here's the sketch.  Hugs,Marilyn

Happiness Blooms

IC

Happy Sunday! The weather has been gorgeous in St. Louis~ mild temperatures (70s) and sunny, blue skies. I've been able to drive the convertible with top down almost every evening this week. That makes me one happy girl!
My card today is for several challenges. The Splitcoaststampers Featured Stamper challenge (FS243) and the Inspirational Challenge (IC304). I chose this card of Dianne's & I chose this wallpaper from the IC site for this week. I also wanted to play along with ColourQ (CQC104). The colors were just delightful.

 

I mentioned I had been working a lot of hours at my job, and I knew it was impacting my creativity, but it wasn't until today that I realized that I made less than ten cards last month except for the sets for swaps. I think that is an all time low for me! I typically create every evening after dinner at least for a little while. Well, you can be sure I will be getting back to nightly time in the studio. I've had a hard time these past two weeks trying to create because I haven't been active...I get rusty very quickly if I don't create regularly. You may see more cases for a while until I get my mojo back. I so appreciate all your views and comments. Have a great week! Hugs, 

Marilyn

Summer Memories

Happy Saturday! We have spent the last few days moving youngest DD into an apartment at her college. Boo Hoo-I'm going to miss that young lady! I can't believe that summer is coming to an end. It went by so fast, and thankfully we have lots of wonderful memories. My card today was created using a Victorine Originals image called Children Playing. It was made for three challenges. First, the SCS Inspirational challenge where I chose the yellow wallpaper placemat as my inspiration. My designer paper which is mostly covered up now (eye roll) is from Webster Pages & looks nearly identical. The second challenge was the CPS231 sketch challenge. 

I altered my card size to 5.5 X 5.5 inches. The last challenge I used in creating my card for the day was the CR84FN36 challenge. The colors are shown below.

My ribbons are from SU! & I used my Bow-Easy to create the multi-looped bow. The pretty little button is Making Memories Vintage Findings. I really love both of these challenges & now that fall is arriving, I will have more time for challenges. Thanks for stopping! You know how much it means. Have a great evening!
Hugs,

Marilyn

Hogs and Kisses

I am so totally in love with this stamp set called "Critters on the Farm" from Lawn Fawn. The animals, like this little pig, are just cuter than cute and there's a barn, fence and bale of hay stamps, plus four sentiments. All of the Fawn Lawn stamps are cute and fun!  I was recently exposed to them from the PaperCrafts designers and blogs. I just had to have this one. Anyway...about my card...

I made my sentiment using a font called Kurlz because I wanted this particular phrase. My youngest DD will be heading back to college next week & I'm trying to stock up on cards to send her. I like to send a card every week when the kids are away but I didn't do so good last year. I did get a little pouty face from her when she came home for the summer, so I thought I'd try to be a better Mom this year {wink}.

This card was made for two challenges. One of my favorites, the SCS Inspiration Challenge (IC296) & for the Pile it On Challenge to use Farm Images. For SCS IC, I chose these farm hand temporary tatoos from Modern Lola. 

Thanks for stopping by!
Hugs,

Marilyn

Supplies:
Stamps: (Critters on the Farm) Fawn Lawn 
Paper: (Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red) Stampin' Up; (Solar White) Neenah
Designer Paper: (Bella Rose-retired, In-Color Paper stacks) Stampin' Up
Accessories: (Computer generated sentiment) Font Curlz

Chocolate Case

Hello friends! I hope you had a super weekend. I sure have enjoyed mine; some family time & lots of paper crafting time. Here's the template card I made for my stamp club swap in August. We swap every month; and since I work full-time, I can't wait til the last minute to get 12 cards made. As a matter of fact, I hope to get another set of 12 done before our August date so I have one set as a backup.

I made this for two Splitcoaststamper challenges. First, today's Featured Stamper challenge (FS233) where Jennie was honored. I chose to case her Elzy Sneak Peek card. I kept the design, the polkadot paper, and the ribbon. I changed to a white base, moved the ribbon and changed the stamp.

The second challenge was yesterday's Inspirational Challenge where Stef chose Linda Billet's on line glass gallery. I picked Linda's mosaic glass piece entitled True which has a heart shaped box of chocolates (glass mosaic, of course). The colors included chocolate and pinks.

Please consider coming back tomorrow morning. I have an exciting (to me) announcement to share with you.
Hugs,

Marilyn

Supplies:
Stamps: (Eat Chocolate (Stampin' Up)
Paper: (Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink) Stampin' Up, (Solar White) Neenah
Designer Paper: (Sweet Always-retired) Stampin' Up
Ink: (Chocolate Chip) Stampin' Up
Accessories: (Decorative Label punch) Stampin' Up, (Sweet Treat ribbon) Michaels

Kitty, Kitty

Happy Saturday! To my US friends, Happy 4th of July weekend! I am really going to enjoy having an extra day off this weekend. I hope you do too!

Last night, I made this card for the WT329 challenge on Splitcoaststampers to use something old and something new. My old item is my Basic Grey Max & Whiskers papers; my new is the cat image from SU! Touch of Kindness stamp set in the Summer mini catalog. I just love this cat...the very reason for purchasing the stamp set! I do love cats but I've never had one. :(  As a kid, my mom was allergic & now as an adult, my daughters are allergic. I suspect that I probably am too, so I just have to play with my cat stamps. I also made this card for the Inspirational challenge, IC291. I chose this print from the Oopsy Daisy website.

Have a great Saturday! Stay safe out there!
Hugs, Marilyn

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day weekend! and Happy Graduation, Ryan! Ryan is a young man in our neighborhood who is graduating from High School. It just so happens that his HS (also where my girls attended) was built in 1976 & the school colors are red, white & blue with the mascot being a Patriot. Can't get much more patriotic than that! I didn't want anything too girly so I went with the school colors and the stars.

And how perfect for me that this card works for three of this week's challenges over on Splitcoaststampers. The Ways to Use It challenge, WT134, to use stars; the Free For All, F4A66, was a literal "free for all" with the catch that something on the card must have been free. My free thing was the small star punch which I got free for being a SU! hostess. The last challenge was the Inspiration Challenge, IC286, to pick something from a paper plates and napkins website to inspire you. I chose this patriotic napkin.

I got this idea for embossing shapes into the cardfront from Karen, my SU! demonstrator. She made this fab card way back in March & I've been anxious to try the technique ever since. And since she showed me this, I've seen lots of this technique. So I don't know where it really originated from, but my credit goes to Karen who always keeps up with the latest and makes the best cards! 

Thanks for stopping! Hugs,

Marilyn 

Supplies:

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU!)

Ink: Real Red (SU!)

Paper: Brilliant Blue (retired), Real Red (SU!), Solar White (Neenah)

Accessories: Large and small star punches, Modern label punch SU!), Red rhinestones (Michaels), Lattice embossing folder (SU!)

Finally!!

Hello! I hope you are doing well. We are still in the midst of the Jones family "somewhat extreme home makeover' but I just couldn't stand not creating any longer. My studio has it's new flooring, and the furniture is back in place, but most of my supplies are still packed away. I am taking the opportunity to evaluate my supplies for what to keep and I'm also re-organizing the space for better accessibility & functionality.

So today, I pulled out a few new things to create this card. It took me forever. When I have a pause in my stamping, my mojo seems to go on vacation. :( The paper and the stamp were a SU! special showcasing new products in the upcoming 2011-2012 catalog. This card was made for several challenges. First for the ColorDare's 100th Challenge (CD100) to use Baja Breeze, Rose Red and Sahara Sand. I LOVE these colors--especially Baja Breeze {yeah- it's a blue}. The second challenge was Splitcoaststampers' Free for All challenge (F4A64) to use a phrase as the focal point. Also I made this card for the Splitcoaststampers' Inspirational Challenge (IC284) where I chose this glass lampwork bead from Doodletart for it's colors and flowers.

Have a Great weekend!

Marilyn

Supplies: All Stampin' Up
Stamps: Four Frames, Sentiment-Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Rose Red
Paper: Sahara Sand, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, DP-SpringtimeVintage
Accessories: Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Scallop & Decorative Label punches, vintage flower.

Blue Bird

Today was such a fabulous day! My crafty girlfriends & I went to the Creating Keepsakes Convention. We took a class together; I went earlier & took one on my own. I have a few more things to do to the scrapbook pages, but I'll post soon. THen we shopped & had a nice dinner together. And to top it off, it was such a nice weather day I drove with the convertible top down. Honestly, in my book, it doesn't get any better than that. I'm still smiling! :)

Here's a card I made tonight after returning home; it was for the Splitcoaststampers Inspiration challenge (IC279). I chose these bird postcards as my inspiration as I have the new SU! Nature Walk stamp set & I've been anxious to ink it up. I started with K & Co's Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna DP. I stamped my bird in Bermuda Bay except the feet; then masked the birds body to add the feet in soft suede. With the bird still masked, I stamped two-thirds of the DP with French Script background stamp in Pumice Stone Distress Ink, I left the background off the floral image. Next I added the to the corner a seal image in Melon Mambo from the retired SU!Travel Post.

I placed the stamped DP on Bermuda Bay & then Craft cardstock. At the top of the Kraft cardstock, I used a stitch template & then zig-zaged with embroidery floss. The crocheted lace is from Making Memories. Last I used some retired SU! hardware & topped it with a Melissa Fraces felt flower with a fabric brad. Then the entire panel was put on an Early Espresso card base.

It was really cool today because I got to meet Melissa Frances. I walked by her booth & she was teaching a make and take...I walked right past & then did a double take & went back to say hello. The felt flower on this card came in a little $1 grab bag with more flowers, bling, ribbon, crocheted flowers and polka dot alphabet. Of course I had to buy more things like glass glitter and crystal chandelier drops.
I hope you had a nice Saturday! Hugs,

Marilyn

Gray isn't always gloomy....

Gray isn't always gloomy especially when it is the theme of a card challenge. I had a very fun evening last night despite the fact that DH didn't make it home from his business trip due to air-flight delays. Thankfully he will be home this morning. Anyway...last night I spent the evening in the studio. This card was one of many & made for two Splitcoaststamper's challenges. Friday's Ways to Use It (WT311) to use gray as a neutral. The second challenge was today's Inspirational Challenge (IC273) which I chose this bed from Serena & Lily as my inspiration. I scored my tile scored my background & then sanded it. Gina K has an easy to follow video on the scoring technique. Added two Not Quite Navy circles & topped one with a More Mustard inked chipboard star with a smaller More Mustard star. The other circle was topped with More Mustard DP from a retired SU! Patterns Pack. The Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiment was punched out using the Word Window punch. Have a great weekend!!
Supplies all from SU:
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Paper: More Mustard, Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, DP-retired Pattern Packs
Ink: More Mustard, Not Quite Navy
Accessories: chipboard star, sanding block, star punch, circle punch, word window punch.

Inspiration Challenge

Happy Saturday, friends! Hope you are having a good weekend. My oldest daughter left this morning to go back to college. So my youngest daughter (who goes back next week) took me shopping to the craft stores to cheer me up. We bought some fun things with 40% off coupons, but I haven't started playing with the new stuff because I wanted to finish up this IC challenge card for my nephew who is turning sixteen soon. I chose this lunchbox as my inspiration. Please come back tomorrow when I'll have some fun new Valentine toys to share.

Supplies:
Stamps: Classic Convertibles (SU)
Paper: Black, Real Red, Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise (SU), White (Pure Luxury-Gina K)
Ink: Black craft, Red (SU)
Accessories: Black embossing powder (SU), Large and Small Label nestablities (Spellbinders)

Don Your Holiday Plaid

I haven't had much time in the studio lately, but regardless, life has been wonderful :) I stole away for an hour to make a holiday card...I felt so festive that I couldn't imagine making a birthday card or starting Valentine cards. So here's the card I made for the SCS IC263 challenge that we were to take inspiration from Don Cherry's jackets. I chose this jacket.

I hope you are enjoying the holiday season!

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas (SU!)
Paper: Real Red, Certainly Celery (SU), Pajama Plaid & Santa's Forest from "The Merry days of Christmas" collection (MME)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Tsukineko)
Accessories: Chipboard flourishes- Yuletide collection (K&Company), Poinsettia punch (Nellie Snellen), Labels Four Nestabilities (Spellbinders), red bling (Michael's), Red stickles (Ranger)

Autumn Thanks

Happy Saturday! Today is a bright sunny day! Hooray!

Here's my take on two challenges. The F4A29 challenge where Wendy presented us with a sketch. The second challenge was today's Inspirational Challenge. Stef gave us the website to World Market for the IC249 challenge. We have several brick and mortar World Market stores in St. Louis and it is so fun to browse there. The website doesn't do it justice as all the textures and smells really add to the experience. Anyway I chose two things that inspired me; I am very much into fall cards and autumn decorating so I gravitated in that direction. I chose two items from the world market: an autumn rug runner and batik table linens.

Nothing fancy to this card, but I enjoyed pulling out last year's fall DSP from SU!. Have a great weekend friends!

Supplies: all from Stampin' Up
Stamp: The More the Merrier
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel and Really Rust
Paper: Really Rust, Close to Cocoa, Vanilla, DSP- Autumn Meadows
Accessories: Circle Punches- 1 1/4, 1 3/8, spritzer tool

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!)

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.

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)

Fresh Apples

Today's card is a combination of SCS challenges and games. First and most importantly, the Queen for the Day (QFTD05) this past Friday was a wonderful woman and stamper, Coffeestamper, aka Sue. Sue is one of the nicest people on SCS, she is encouraging and supportive. She does amazing things with paper and ink and so I really wanted to make a card in her honor even though it is late. I cased her card called You're a Star. I kept her basic layout, the color of red and blue and the ribbon. I changed the papers, image, and traded the ribbon slide for a brad-flower-bow embellishment.

Last week the Inspirational Challenge (IC228) was crate labels. I had just purchased the retired SU! set "farm fresh', so it seemed like Kismet that I should play. I've loved the 'farm fresh' set since I first started stamping but it retired before I could purchase. It reminds me of home and country living as well as the decor of my first kitchen. I chose this crate label.

The last challenge was Monday's Technique Lovers' Challenge (TLC269) to incorporate piercing.

If you're still reading...I am going to boast a bit because I am so proud of myself, I have finally made a card with sewing that I can feel ok about posting. I know lots of you sew on cards but even with a new little Janome sewing machine, I just couldn't get the hang of it.

Thanks for stopping by! Over the next several days I will be posting a card set and box that I made, so please stop back by.

Hugs, Marilyn

Supplies:
Image: Farm Fresh (SU!)
Paper: White (Neenah), Brillant Blue, Real Red, Not Quite Navy from Pattern Pack (SU!), Red pattern (DCWV mat stack)
Ink: Black craft (SU), markers- Real Red, Green Galore, YoYo Yellow, Creamy Caramel (SU!)
Accessories: Embossing powder (SU), piercer (Tonic-Tim Holtz-one of the best tools ever- it's retractable!), Boho blossoms punch (SU!), red plaid brad (Target-outdoor adventure collection), blue flower (prima), ribbon (Michaels-textured trios), sewing machine, thread.

Violet Bouquet

My two days of Creating Keepsakes Convention has come to an end. This was the best time I have had in a long time. Yesterday I took a class where we made four single page layouts using new Basic Grey products. Today, I took a class where we learned a few new techniques & the products were SEI. I'll post some of these things later this week, so stop back by.

I bought lots of goodies, and amazingly I've even put everything away. In addition to spending two days doing my favorite thing, the weather has been gorgeous here in St. Louis. So, I've been able to drive with my convertible top down. It's funny but that really makes me happy!

Today Pat Smethers was chosen as the SCS Featuresd Stamper (FS166). Pat is a wonderful artist and person. I cased this card from Pat's gallery. This card was also made for the Inspirational Challenge (IC227) where we were to make a card based upon our home state. My home state is Illinois & the state flower is the violet.

This card will be for my step-mother-on-law for Mother's Day. She is quite special so I hope that this card will bring her happiness. {and I also hope that my husband likes it!}

Supplies:
Images: Breath of Spring (Just Right), Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU!)
Paper: White, Lovely Lilac
Ink: Black, Lovely Lilac, Lavendar Lace, Handsome Hunter, Sage Shadow, Summer Sun
Accessories: Blender pen, stickles, nestabilities, ribbon, flowers, leaf, brads