Challenge Valentine

Apparently I did not send Valentine cards last year as I have quite a stash. So I don't need to make very many this year. But I always like to make three very special ones- for the two daughters & the hubby. So this card will be for one of my daughters & it was made using two challenges as inspiration.

First the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday challenge, FTTC204, is to use a circle, fishtail & pearls/brads.

I counted my embossed background with the large polka dots as my circle; plus the Designer Paper has a circle medallion. So I think I'm good with keeping to the challenge requirements.

The second challenge was the Mojo Monday sketch, MOJO277.

I found this sketch extremely challenging. Not that it is really hard, but I was totally blank for an idea. I usually take sketches literally so I figured that was what the problem & causing my creative block. When that happens I go looking for inspiration. I saw Teresa Kline's (a Mojo Designer) take on the sketch & that was what I needed to get me going. You can see her beauty & my inspiration on her blog: Paperie Blooms. Her heart combined with the Flourishes requirement for a fishtail was the essence of my card.

That's it for me today. Soon I'll be posting some "Project 365, My Way" pages and some more of my One Sheet Wonder cards.

Hugs, Marilyn

Happy Heart Day!

Hi friends! Today I am sharing another card I made using the retired Stampin' Up set Happy Heart Day. This one is for my daughter's roommate (in college). Pretty simple but I love this image...too cute. The paper is Stampin' Up's Blushing Bride cardstock and designer series paper & the ribbon was in my stash. I made the hearts using the large heart punch from Stampin' Up. I hope you had a nice day!

Elephant Valentine

Hi Friends! I'm getting back to a little more stamping time. Today I am sharing a Valentine card I made yesterday which will be for my daughter who loves elephants. So when I saw this retired set called "Happy Heart Day" on e-Bay for a good price, I grabbed it just for her.

I used this week's challenge sketch from Freshly Made Sketches. 

 

My papers and ribbon are Stampin' Up's Poppy Parade, Blushing Bride and Black.  The edge punch is from Martha Stewart. Have a great week! 

Marilyn

Classic Valentine

Hello from snowy St. Louis! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. I've been busy with the usual life activities- work during the week & caring for the household on weekends. Fortunately, I've had some fun time in the studio. Here's one of my creations today. I used my new Gina K Lovely Labels 2 stamps which coordinates with Spellbinders Nestabilities. This one is Labels 14. I made this card for two challenges; Clean & Simple's Fall-to-Layout (FTL124) and Create 4 Fun (CR84FN11) color challenge to use red, craft and brown. The brown paper is retired SU! called Bella Rose. I'm almost out of this designer & I have so enjoyed playing with it's beautiful roses. The flower was made from SU! 5 petal punch & paper flowers from Michael's $1 bin, and a gold heart brad from my stash. The red gemstones came with the Michael's flowers. I added a layer of SU! crystal effects on the gold heart brad. I hope you like it! 

Hugs, Marilyn

Vintage Valentine

This is today's second post, please scroll down.
Yesterday when I was shopping with my youngest daughter, she helped me pick out some new things. Mind you, I don't need a single thing, but I like playing with the fun trends and the new papers, colors, stamps and embellishments. She helped me keep my purchases reasonable. Anyway, I bought Valentine Ephemera (die cut card stock) from K & Company. The vanilla rose is new Stampin Up Mini Occasions catalog embellishments (page 15) called Vintage Flower Adornments; a close-up is below. These flowers gorgeous & more beautiful IRL than in the catalog. The ribbon and lace were purchased in December with plans of using them on holiday cards, but that just didn't work out. It really is a pretty collection from Making Memories called Noel. Now, it's probably on sale somewhere; I got mine at Michaels.

This card was made for several challenges:

• Flourishes- use red, pink and white
• Sweet Stampin - try something new- Vintage Ephemera cards are new to me.

Supplies:
Image: Valentine Ephemera (K & Company)
Paper: Real Red, Vanilla, Pixie Pink,  DP- Bella Rose (SU)
Accessories: Red button from stash, Vintage Flower Adornments (SU), Christmas Red Stickles (Ranger), Crochet ribbon & red sparkle trim (Making Memories).

Thanks for looking at my blog. Scroll down for a second post for today. Have a great week! {{Hugs}}

Darling Valentine

This is my second post for today...I promised to share some new things with you...but this post mostly has 'new to me' not 'new on the market' products. This little Pure Innocence cutie is from My Favorite Things (MFT) & called Flower Girl. I just love the little hearts on her top and pants. when I was cleaning my studio, I discovered an entire scrap kit with this paper, rub-ons, lots of chipboard tucked away .It's really pretty~ sparkley with the girl-y colors of pink, yellow, peach, soft green & a hint of red. I remember I bought this last April at the CK convention- it was a 'close-out' and it's dated 2008, but it's new to me. I'm embarrassed to say that I bought so much at the convention, I didn't even miss it.

Today I used my Copic markers. I have quite a few, but have never quite got the hang of them. So with this new year, I've made some challenges for myself. I hate calling them resolutions because life is about growing; it's not so much about quitting bad habits or doing what we should, but rather becoming a better person and captivating on our loves & strengths. So for me, these challenges (resolutions) are about becoming a better artist over the next year.

So after all that philosphizing (if you're still with me), my challenges are: First, start using the Copics, a person doesn't get good at anything unless she puts time to it. Second, start playing with PhotoShop. Like the Copics, I haven't done much with it. I kept waiting for big blocks of time to do the tutorials and the classes from Jessica Sprague. Those big blocks of time never materialize so I'm changing my approach and going to play a couple of times a week even if it's just for 15-30 minutes. I'll never give up real paper and embellishments for digital, but I like hybrid scrapbooking. I've promised myself that I'll buy a nice printer that will accomodate 12 X 12 paper if I learn this fun and powerful tool. Have you made any challenges or promises to yourself for this new year?

This card would have been perfect for last week's CR84FN9 challenge to use yellow, peach and light pink, but alas I'm too late for that. So I made this card for these challenges.

• My Favorite Things- MFTWSC1- the sketch
• C4C69- Be inspired with the picture on their post. There's not as much pink as I thought when dreaming up this card
• Simon Says - new beginnings- for my oldest daughter who went back to college yesterday for her NEW & last semester
• ODBDSLC43- something old (the nesties & paper & something new (my MFT stamp is new to me)

Supplies:
Stamps: Flower Girl (MFT)
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Peach Pizzaz, So Saffron, Vanilla (SU), DSP- Sundress Sweetness & Sundress Heirloom from Laundry Line collection (MME)
Ink: Rich Cocoa (Momento). Copics: Y11 Pale Yellow, Y13 Lemon Yellow, E00 Skin White, E11 Barely Beige, YR00Powder Pink, YR02 Light Orange, R20 Blush, RV14 Begonia Pink & colorless marker. 
Accessories: Nestabilities- Large and Small Scalloped Ovals, Fancy Tags (Spellbinders), Scallop border punch (SU), Pink Pearls (Recollections), Pom-Pom ribbon- Unknown maker-cut by the yard at a Speciality Paper Crafting store.

Thanks for stopping by...

Dream Boat Valentine

Isn't this dream boat image, the bomb? I just love it. It was cut from the K &Co. paper called Sweet Talk Postage Stamps. There are 24 rectangles; all are the same size & have cute little Valentine images and sentiments. Because of the size and the colors, the paper reminds me of the Valentines we sent to classmates when I was in grade school.  Although, the graphics certainly weren't this cute. I remember going to K-Mart and agonizing over which box of Valentines to chose, and then the challenge of selecting which Valentine to give to each classmate.  Ahhh...the memories.

This card was made for several challenges:
SCS-F4A46- purple, pink and a heart
SCS-SC314- I flipped the sketch
CCEE1101- use checks- my pink ribbon
PIO#1- Brand Spanking New- my Valentine paper

Supplies:
Stamps & Ink: none
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Pale Plum (SU), WHite (pure luxury-Gina K), DP- Sugar Rush (Basic Grey)
Accessories: Wide lace (Michaels), pink checked ribbon (Spring collection-Gina K)



Have a great Saturday!

Swap for Stamp Club

Here's my card for swapping with my SU! Stamp Club members on Friday evening. We have 11 ladies in the club plus our demonstrator, so I made twelve of these cards. I went on the easy side this month because I wanted to have time to make my February cards too. I'm hoping to take a little 'sunshine' vacation in February & so I wanted to get ahead. I'll post those cards another day. Thanks for dropping by.
Have a great Friday!
Supplies: All SU!
Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Polka Dot Punches
Paper: Pink Pirouette, White, DSP- Bella Rose
Ink: Regal Rose
Accessories: Oval, scalloped oval, and heart punches

Valentine

Happy Friday! I took a day of vacation from work today to just hang out- stamp, shop, sleep a little late. Oh what luxury!
Here is another Valentine card. I recently met up with an Angel demonstrator here in St. Louis. We live about 40 minutes apart so it won't be a regular deal but TAC really has some fab designs & I am having fun with them. Enjoy your sweetheart weekend!

Recipe:
Image: Leafy Trees (TAC), Teeny tiny wishes (SU)
Paper: Riding Hood Red (SU!), Solar WHite (neenah), Sugar Rush (Basic Grey)
Ink: RHR (SU!)
Accessories: Corner punch (Marvey), Scorepal, Ribbon (blog candy win from Joni), Red stickles, chipboard heart (SU!), bow easy

Here's My Heart

This card is for my DH for Valentine's Day. I used the SCS IC 218 challenge as inspiration. Erte has wonderful art, both prints and sculptures; and I chose this 'Heart II' print as my inspiration. I love the art deco images especially the women but I have no such image in my large {substitute the words huge, overflowing, ridiculous} collection. That's probably due to the fact that the art deco is not my style although I love the look.

I have the hardest time making cards for my husband. He is a super supportive, caring and nurturing individual but a real manly man. He has been taking really good care of me through this somewhat depressing stage after the loss of my mom, our new empty nest, my challenging job, and well, the winter season. So I hope this card is manly enough and also expresses my deep love and gratitude.

I'm off to take care of the weekend chores. I hope to visit the IC218 gallery again later tonight. Have a great weekend, friends!

Recipe:
Image: Boho Blossoms (MFT), corner flourish- Wedding (Hampton Art)
Paper: Real Red, Basic Black (SU!), Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: Real Red (SU!), Tuxedo Black (Momento)
Accessories: D'vine Swirl embossing folder (CB-ProvoCraft), Nestabilities Classic Heart (Spellbinders), Red rhinestone bling (Studio 18)

Friend Valentine & Featured Stamper Challenge

Isn't this a great card?! Well, I am not bragging, but "tooting my horn" for Karen B. Barber who was selected as the Featured Stamper over at SCS. I chose this card to case. It is really more like a copy but I did change a few things.

I added eyelets to the scallop circle instead of Karen's punched circles. I move the bow and changed the color. I changed the stamp in the scallop circle, and changed some of the paper patterns. I kept the red and white theme, the sketch, the sentiment and used similar papers from SU patterns pack.

Happy Sunday! Marilyn

Recipe:
Image: All Holidays, Riveting
Paper: Real Red, DP- Pattern Pack (SU!), Solar White (Neenah)
Ink: White Craft
Accessories: Eyelets (stash), cropadile, ribbon (michaels), Bow easy

Shoebox Swap Card~ Valentine

This is the card I created for the shoebox swap that I will be attending this afternoon. A group of St. Louis card makers get together about once a month. I haven't been able to attend in over a year due to scheduling conflicts so I am very excited to participate today and see my shoebox friends.

Have a great Saturday!

Recipe:
Image: Polka Dot Punches (SU!)
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Solar White (neenah), DP: red- Sunnyside (We R Memory Keepers), pink from pattern pack (SU!), word (Target $1 bin)
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: Loopy Heart punch (MS), Ribbon- Offray

Poppy Hearts

Here's the card I made for the Featured Stamper challenge. Anne, aka jdmommy, is a wonderful artist. I chose this card to case. Several new products were used- Sugar Rush paper from Basic Grey; the pearl pin and pearls aren't exactly new but this is the first time I used them; the embossing powder called Zing from American Crafts. I got the Zing powder from this cool webstore that offers daily specials. One special per day & when it's sold out there is nothing else for that day. CHeck it out if you like good deals; Peachy Cheap.

Have a great week!

Marilyn

Recipe:
Image: Weather of Not (retired SU!)
Paper: Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, WW (SU!), DP- Sugar Rush (Basic Grey)
Ink: Real Red - craft
Accessories: Zing embossing powder-Poppy (American Crafts), mini dot ribbon (offray), pearl pin and pearls (unknown), real red brads (SU), paper piercer (THoltz) and mat pack (SU!), loopy heart punch (MS)

Lace Valentine

I absolutely LOVE Valentine's Day, making v-day cards and little treat packages for others. The pinks and reds are so pretty with ribbon and sparkles. I hope to make quite a few cards for all the people that bless my life. So here is one I made Friday night using a lace paper heart and scrapbboking papers I found in the Target $1 bin. {{Those one dollar bins are like cash magnets for me...I always find so many cute and trendy things that I can use with my paper crafting. I've tried to take the approach of only purchasing immediately needed supplies but, well, you know...}} Anyway, the sketch was from last Saturday's Paper Craft Planet Scrap challenge posted. My favorite challenges are the sketch and color challenges.

Recipe:

Stamps: Polka Dot Punches (Stampin'Up)

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Pixie Pink (Stampin'Up); DP & Lace Heart: Scrapbooking Valentine Collection (Target)

Ink: Riding Hood Red (Stampin' Up)

Accessories: 5 Petal Punch (Stampin' Up)