Another Birthday Card!

My take on the Queen for the day challenge (QFTD16) over at Splitcoaststampers. Dorothy (aka etsdas) was our honored stamper. I cased this card of hers.

I made another birthday card. My family has been raiding my stash for birthday cards for their friends and family. So besides from being flattered, I am making more to add to the stash.

I apologize for not posting more and not visiting your blogs. Life has been a little crazy- nothing tramatic except not having much time with my paper and ink. I'll be around a lot this weekend so I hope to e-chat with you!

Happy 4th to my American friends!

Supplies:
Image: Piece of Cake (CTMH), Teeny Tiny Wishes (SU!)
Papers: Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo, DSP- Razzleberry Lemonade (SU!), White (Neenah)
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento), Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo (SU!)
Accessories: Apricot appeal brads

Cupcake Birthday & Coral Blooms

This card was made for the Featured Stamper challenge on SCS. LeAnne's gallery is filled with wonderful creations. I chose to case this card. I am very happy with the Close to My Heart acrylic stamps- very crisp images & no need to prep or prime the stamp in order to get a nice image. I love this sketch and have used something similar and possibly identical in the past. I used up some retired stamping up designer paper. One thing that is really nice when you use double sided DP is that you can cut the full size (in this case 3 3/4 X 5 panel) and then just cut it in half and flip one side over and mount; because the double sided DP always matches. Another thing I love about this sketch is that you can use the center ribbon or narrow paper to hide if the designer papers don't match up precisely. It is a fairly quick card.

I am really happy with how this card turned out. And happy because it is honoring a very special stamper. This was made for the Queen for the Day SCS challenge. Lesley, aka Marleygo was crowned on Friday. It took me several days to complete as I only had a few minutes on Friday and Saturday to work on it. I chose to case this card. It is perplexing to me how sometimes when I start with an idea- whether it be a sketch, color combo, a case, or embellishment and as I create the card, it morphs. Most of the time, my idea doesn't look like my imagination pictured. I know other stampers experience this as I have read similiar descriptions.

I intended to also complete this past Tuesday's color challenge with this card, but I couldn't get turquoise to work. So I stuck the other two colors- cameo coral and ruby red and added close to cocoa. The image panel started larger like Lesley's; but that didn't look right either despite numerous adaptations. I just love this creative journey, don't you?

Have a great week friends! Marilyn

Cupcake Birthday Supplies:
Stamps: Piece of Cake (CTMH-D1407)
Paper: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery (SU!), White, DP- retired SU!
Ink:Tuxedo Black (Momento), SU markers: Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Nestabilities- circle and scalloped circle (Spellbinders), Apricot Appeal ribbon (SU), glitter glue (Sulyn Industries- stash recycled from my kids old art cabinet)

Coral Blooms Supplies:
Stamps: Eastern Booms (SU!)
Paper: Cameo Coral, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Vanilla
Ink: Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red
Accessories: Ribbon- 5/8"white organza (SU!), Button (stash), adhesive pearls (want2scrap)

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.

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!

This card was made for my mother in law. My husband and I have been married for 29 years this June, so my MIL is like a mother to me in many ways. She is generous and treats me just like her own daughter. So I wanted to make a very special card for her. This card also satisfies several challenges on SCS. First the QFTD06 game where Cathleen (aka ctorina) was chosen for her skill and kindness. I chose her Dream card to case.

The second challenge was F4A9 where we were challenged to make a vacation card. One of my most recent 'get-aways' was to California this past February. My DH had business and I tagged along. We went to the Botanical Gardens (see Family Life post). One of my many dream vacations is Hawaii. The flowers on this card represent both vacations.

The last challenge was the "ways to Use It" challenge, WT267, where we were to mix pattern papers. I love mixing it up and often do because I love designer paper.

The papers and chipboard flowers that I used in this card are from SEI Mimosa Collection. I purchased them as the CK convention earlier this month. I wish you could see these products in real life as the paper has a shimmer finish, they call it pearl. The chipboard shapes have glitter. My SU! Old olive cardstock matched so I used it for the base. I stamped the blossoms using a retired SU! set called Best Blossoms; first with So Saffron and offset with Summer Sun. The sentiment is in Kiwi Kiss as the Old Olive was just too dark on the white and yellow flowers. What do you think?

Happy Saturday!

Have a great evening!

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.