Friends are the Sunshine of Life!

Friends are the Sunshine of Life! Isn't that so true? I have been very blessed to have made friends during all the different phases of my life & I've been even more fortunate to have kept many of those friendships too. My girlfriends and I have laughed and cried together, but mostly laughed & sometimes laughed so hard we cried! I hope you have had the same blessings. I am going to send this card as a 'just because' friendship card to the first friend I met when I moved to St. Louis over 30 years ago  Recently she has taken up stamping and card making, so we are having a blast sharing this hobby too.

This card was made these challenges. The Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C95) to make a summer themed card- flowers and bright, fun colors scream summer to me. Plus it is always so much more fun to get out with friends when the weather is nice. The other challenge was today's Splitcoaststampers' Free 4 All (F4A73) to use twine. Not quite twine, but skinny and colorful is my embroidery thread. I tried some blue twine, but it didn't match or blend to my taste.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Your comments make me so happy! Please check back again soon. I have lots of new toys! :)

PS. The studio re-organization is almost done! Pictures soon.

Supplies:
Stamp: Studio g
Ink: Tuxedo Black (momento), SU Markers: Pool Party, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade, Concord Crush
Paper: Solar White (Neenah), Pool party, Concord Crush (SU), DP- Summer Days (Echo Park)
Accessories: Purple Ribbon (Ribbon Boutique), Embroidery Floss (DMC), Pin (K&Co), Flowers(Making Memories), Rhinestone Circle "fire" Brad (SU), Eyelet Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders).

Hugs,

Marilyn

Cajun Seas

Here's another card using the Stampin' Up Summer Catalog's "The Open Sea" stamp set. I am having so much fun with this set. And since Father's Day and several male family members birthdays are coming up, this set came at the perfect time for me! I made this card for several challenges. First, the Color Dare 104 (CD104) to use Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze, and Not Quite Navy. When I saw these challenge colors, I knew right away which stamp set I'd be using.

The next challenge is Pals Paper Arts Challenge (PPA97) where you are to show your signature style. My natural style is along the lines of classical, but I do like to create vintage and CAS. Trying new things is one of my favorite parts of stamping so that includes branching outside my comfort zone. Anyway, I almost always use some sort of designer paper & most of my cards have several layers, but not usually more than 2-4 embellishments. I love ribbon and flowers but rarely use it on male cards; thus the reason you don't see them here.

The last challenge is for the Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C91) to make a masculine card. 

Everything is pretty self explanatory except the background, designer paper. I started with an indigo colored paisley DP by daisyd. I used the ledger stamp in Not Quite Navy and covered the background both horizontally & vertically & then a couple of random stamps for good measure. (LOL!) Then I used the anchor stamp inked up in Cajun Craze and stamped angled lines of the anchors. So in essence, I created my own DP. Well, that's it for me...

Thanks so much for stopping! Hugs,

Marilyn

Stamps:  The Open Sea (SU)

Paper:  Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Baja Breeze, Vanilla (SU); DP- Gypsy Paisley(DasiyD)

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze (SU!)

Accessories: Copper loop brads (Oriental Trading), Jute twine (local hardware store)

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...

Santa's Coming to Town!

Here's my card for two challenges. First for Queen for the Day (QFTD36) where Maxill (aka Bev) was chosen as the queen. Bev has always been very supportive & she often comments on my cards. I chose this card of her's to case: Tea for Two.  I also made this card for Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C64) where the challenge was to use circles.

Supplies:
Image: Christmas Characters (inadinkado)
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze (SU), White (Gina K), DP- Figgy (Basic Grey)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Momento); Cherry Cobbler, Baja Breeze (SU)
Accessories: Liquid Applique, Gold pen, Circle & scallop circle Nestablitites(spellbinders), Baja Breeze ribbon.

Get Ready for the Holidays!

Even though it's Halloween, I have been busy making cards for the holidays. My SU! monthly club meets next week; and since we won't be meeting in December, we'll be celebrating the holidays. One of the fun things we do every month is a card swap. Out of respect for our demonstrator, we use strictly SU products but it's OK if we use retired products. This is my swap template...only eleven more to go. I cased this card from Iliana Crouse; you can see the original here. While you are there, check out her other creations. If you've not visited her blog, you are in for a real treat. She's a real inspiration for me.!

This card was created for two challenges; Crazy 4 Challenges 61 & FS195. The C4C61 challenge is a sketch challenge hosted by Silke Ledlow. Cheryl is the Featured Stamper this week. She has such a lovely gallery; her copic coloring is awesome. I cased Cheryl's Candy Cane Christmas card. I just love this penguin stamp she used & I've had the same stamp for several years...I think it was one of the first non-SU! stamps I purchased. He's a real cutie, don't you think?

Have a great week! Hugs!

Supplies- Card 1:
All supplies from Stampin' Up
Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Heard from the Heart
Paper: Riding Hood Red, White, DSP- Christmas Cocoa (retired)
Ink: Riding Hood Red
Accessories: RHR 5/8 striped grosgrain ribbon, red hemp twine, rhinestone jewel accents, ornament punch.

Supplies- Card 2:
Stamps: Penguin (Art Impressions)
Paper: Old Olive, Real Red (SU), White (neenah), DP- Christmas Stack (DCWV)
Ink: Black (Memento), SU Markers- Real Red, Old Olive, Summer Sun.
Accessories: MS snowflake punch, red buttons (target), green button (MME)

Fun Day of Challenges

My cards today incorporate several challenges. First, the SCS LSC248 was to make more than one card using the same image and color but a different layout. SSnotime115 challenge was to make a mass production card. And the C4C12 sketch was used for the card on the right; and the SC255 sketch from a few weeks ago was used on the card on the left. Below are the cards individually.
I chose Wild Wasabi, Night of Navy, Sahara Sand and Whisper White for my color scheme. I really love the color Wild Wasabi especially for Christmas cards and also St. Patty's cards. Before it was retired, I bought an extra pack & some textured paper too. Sadly, I will probably be out soon.

The image is from Inkadinado's Holiday Silhouette acrylic set. Look close and you can see images of a dove, snowman, Santa, a reindeer and a cardinal in the tree. Pretty cool!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Stamps: Holiday Silhouettes (Inkadinkado), Riveting, A Cardinal Christmas (SU!)
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Sahara Sand, Night of Navy, DP- Paper Pack (all SU!)
Ink: Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Rhinestones (studio g), modern label, 1" circle, 1/2" circle, oval punches (SU!)