Take One and Take Two

Happy 'day after' Thanksgiving to all my US friends. I hope each of you had a wonderful holiday!

Here's two cards I made today. These are for the SCS Free for All challenge (F4A92) where the challenge was to make a Holiday card using Black as the main color. On my first go around, I missed the word "holiday' & just made a card. So I had to redeem myself since I hardly play the challenges. The second card also qualifies for the Freshly Made Sketches (FSM12) challenge. 

 Here's the sketch:

 


I am looking forward to some stamping time this weekend. Hope you get some time to play too! 
Hugs,

Marilyn

Card 1

Stamps: Punch Potpourri, Sage Advice (SU)

Ink: Black Craft (SU)

Paper: Textured Black (unknown), Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point (SU), Solar White (Neenah), DP-Mod Retro Stack (DCWV)

Accessories: Heart punches (SU), Black detail embossing powder (SU)

Card2

Stamps: Skating Penguin (Stampendeous), Christmas Wishes-sentiment (Wplus9)

Ink: Black Craft (SU), Tuxedo Black (Momento)

Paper: Textured Black (unknown), Solar White (Neenah), DP- The Christmas Stack (DCWV)

Accessories: Black detail embossing powder (SU), Eyelet circle die (Spellbinders), snowflake punch (MS), Dazzling Details (SU)

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

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.

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!

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

Daisies

Never before have I combined five challenges in one card...I certainly don't have the talent like Neva (aka n5stamper on SCS) but this week the challenges flowed together. If you've never run across Neva's work, check out her blog- she combines challenges like nobody's business. She's amazing!

Here are the five challenges I combines:
CC268- Old Olive, Barely Banana, Ballet Blue
MMTPT91- bring a daisy to the tea party
SC278- 'nuf said
WT268- use chipboard- my scallop frame is chipboard covered in barely banana
F4A10- make a floral card

You know, blue is my favorite color and there are six blues leaving the SU! color palette including ballet blue that I used as my card base above. I love change and new things so I won't whine {too much} especially since there are still lots of blues in the new colors- I count a total of seven. The blue shade faired better than purple; surprisingly only two purples remain~ and no pastel purple/lavender. I you haven't see this, Mary Fish has all the details on her blog, Stampin' Pretty.

I made my flower but using my 1-3/4 circle punch on white tissue paper; then stacked all the layers and free handed cut flower petals, added the corduroy button, and twisted the tissue paper so that the petals were not longer perfectly aligned, and a smooched it a bit.

I added Pearly Glimmer Mist (tattered angels) but it doesn't show up very well.

Have a great day, 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!

Best Wishes

HAP-Hap-Happy~ that's what I am today! Why you might ask? Well, it's because I got to make a card and play the SCS Free for All challenge - F4A5. I have had to travel for work so I was away from my stamps & studio until Wednesday. {No need to send a sympathy card- I am not permanently damaged now that I am re-united with my stash}

Anyway, the challenge was to make a card based upon your favorite Broadway show & the size had to be anything but A2 (4.25 x 5.5). My favorite Broadway show is Mama Mia. It's not that I am a big ABBA fan, but I do love the soundtrack. But there are two reasons that Mama Mia is my favorite. First, it is a great show- upbeat, fun, great costumes & great music. And the second reason is why I know this; we took a family vacation t0 New York City a few years ago & we got to see the show on Broadway. We all dressed up, had a fancy dinner and went to the show. It was so much fun. During the show I found myself taking secret glances at my husband and daughters. If you could have seen the smiles of enjoyment, it would have been your favorite Broadway show too.

Have a great Friday evening & I sure hope to be posting a little more often!

Supplies:
Paper: Night of Navy, White, K and Company DSP
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Cricut- Wedding solutions- couple and flourish, Nestabilities- Label 3, Bling- Studio 18
Size: 4X4

Get Whale Soon!

This 'Get Whale Soon" card & a duplicate is for two different friends who recently had minor surgery for non-life threatening health issues. Both are doing great, but regardless a person can feel pretty punny. I hope this light-hearted card will give them a smile.

This card was made for three SCS challenges. The Olympic Color challenge, CC259, where I chose Event 1 ~ a neutral, and one color from the Olympic picture, with an optional dessert of metallics. I chose white as my neutral, pacific point and gold pearls. The second challenge was Teapot Tuesday Challenge, MMTPT82, where we were to use white and a splash of color. The third challenge was the new Friday Free For All challenge, F4A1, where we were to use textures and one color you do not normally use with an option of patterned paper. Obviously I did not use any patterned paper & the color I don't normally use is Pacific Point. It is one of my very favorite colors, so I have been using my remaining retired card stock sparingly.

Have a great weekend!

Recipe:
Image: Fishy Friends (TAC)
Paper: White, Pacific Point
Ink: Pacific Point
Accessories: CB folder-spots and dots, MS punch around the page, corner rounder, gold pearls