May Club Cards

I don't think I posted our club cards for this month!   I swear I have no memory left at this point.   :)

For our sketch card I did a bit of a remake on one of my Freshly Made Sketches cards.  I wanted to use the awesome vine image from Best Friends Forever and it worked perfectly on the base.   I also toned down the colors a bit by using So Saffron instead of Daffodil Delight.  

Our technique this month was the rock n' roll technique and Dawn's gorgeous card inspired me to create this one.  Upsy Daisy is just perfect for so many techniques, so I know many of us demonstrators are going to miss it.  

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today due to a scratchy throat, so I'm keeping this short.   I did want to give a shout out to my friend Lesley who made me the new watermark that you've been seeing in my photos.   Isn't it cute?   She managed to whip it out in minutes; the one I made took me months to do!   It's good to have clever friends.  :)  

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge :

1. Make a project for "Mom, Grandmother, Aunt etc...".
2. Or Make a project with a " Pop-Up Element ".*
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a " Pop-Up Project for Mom".
4.  Or join in Both challenges and create a "Pop-Up Project for Mom using the inspiration photo above."

The Friday Mashup is teaming up with Paper Lovin' Gals this week.  They use fun inspiration photos for their challenge, so if you mash up our challenge plus use the inspiration photo above, you'll have a triple play!

I am still playing around with my retiring stamp sets and pulled out a favorite, Best Friends Forever for this card.   This is a pretty simple card for me which means it was a struggle of course.  :)    I tend to stress out as the number of layers decreases.   I did use some gorgeous textured card stock and some slight distressing so hopefully you don't miss the layers too much.  

I'm currently the healthy one in the house.  Jason is recovering from his surgery (which did go well) and my mom is having issues with her shoulder.   I'm glad my arm/wrist quit hurting because I've had a lot to do this week!    Tonight is stamp club and tomorrow is my baby shower.  I'm hoping Sunday is a day of rest for all of us.   

FM50: Faux Pearls

 

1. Make a project using the "Sketch".
2. Or Make a project using the "Faux Mother of Pearl Technique".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "project using the Faux Mother of Pearl Technique & the Sketch.

Time for a new challenge from The Friday Mashup!   Heidi is hosting this week and has a great challenge with the awesome sketch pictured above along with a fun technique.  I had a great time making my card and I bet you will too if you'll play along!  

There's those darn Itty Bitty flowers again!  I told you I needed an intervention.  :)   I also used a much neglected set, Best Friends Forever.   It was a freebie from Convention and not one I'd normally buy.  When I do use it I always love the cards, so I'm thinking I need to use it more often.  

Stamps:  Best Friends Forever, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso

Paper:  Early Espresso, Soft Suede, So Saffron, Glossy White, Neutrals DSP stack

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 die, 3 inch circle die, Tasteful Trim die, Itty Bitty punch pack, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Champagne Shimmer Paint, basic pearls, sponges

Before I go, one other announcement and it's an exciting one!   To celebrate the 50th challenge, The Friday Mashup is having a Blog Candy Blowout!   Each of the design team members has some candy on their blog that's up for grabs!    To win, you'll need to do the following:

1.  Play along with the challenge!  

2.  Visit and comment on each of the DT member's blog.

3.  Live in either the US or Canada. 

We will be drawing winners on Thursday, March 22nd.   Each blog will have a unique winner to spread the love around.  :)    Here's what I'll be giving away from my blog:

Designer Frames Embossing Folders!  Woot! 

PPA120: Faux Linen Sketch

So lately I've been feeling pretty down and not really enjoying stamping as much as I usually do.  My cards are all feeling a bit plain and boring for me too.  Sad face, right?    Today I found myself a bit ahead of things, so I decided to sit down and do a challenge for fun.   I wanted to add a new technique into the mix as well.   I find that expanding my skills and trying new things a breath of fresh air, so I thought that might be just what I needed.   I decided to play along with the Pals Paper Arts sketch and to try the Faux Linen technique.   I haven't used my new Distressing Essentials kit very much yet, so it was a perfect time to put it to use!  

I used the Tea Stain ink on my image panel and I don't think it was quite dark enough to allow the linen texture to show up in my picture.  I know next time to go darker for that part, but I do like how the card turned out.  I seem to be drawn towards browns right now; maybe because of all the dead trees we have from the drought?   Or maybe cheery colors just aren't fitting my mood?   Either way, I do like mixing them up.  I never thought I'd be using Soft Suede as much as I have been!  It is a bit of an ugly color.  :)  All the panels are sponged to give them some depth and I pulled out my favorite retired ribbon, Early Espresso satin.  

Stamps:  Best Friends Forever, Nature Walk, En Francais

Ink:  Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Tea Stain distress ink

Paper:  Glossy White, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Neutrals Patterns DSP stack

Tools/Accessories:  Distressing Essentials kit, sponges, Early Espresso Satin ribbon

Pink and Orange Friends

I'm having a fun play day today, so I was able to do a couple of fun challenges!   For this card, I combined the color challenge from Stampin' Royalty with the sketch challenge at Create with Connie and Mary.  I think it turned out pretty cute.  Those colors just screamed teen girl to me, so I tried to make a card appropriate for one.   After not liking this stamp set, I've managed to use it two days in a row!

Stamps:  Best Friends Forever
Ink:  Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride
Paper:  Peach Parfait, Melon Mambo, Blushing Bride, In Color DSP stack (retired)
Tools/Accessories:  Itty Bitty Punch Pack, Paper Snips, Basic Rhinestones, Melon Mambo scallop dots ribbon

colourQ 109: BFF

I didn't think I was going to get anything made for this week's colourQ challenge, so this post is a bit of a miracle.  :)   I worked on ideas for hours yesterday and couldn't get them in the right combination to look right.  I LOVE anything with a retro feel, so I was very disappointed in myself.    I failed miserably at the challenge AND the new recipe I tried turned out horrible and had to be thrown out.  

This morning I woke up determined to have a better day and headed off to my room to make something for the challenge...successfully this time!    I put aside everything I had tried yesterday and started fresh.   I grabbed a stamp set I hadn't used yet and started putting together different ideas until I finally felt like I had something I could actually post!   (I also made pumpkin bread today to make up for yesterday's recipe disaster.  I hope my club ladies will like it tonight.)

Now of course I made something that was difficult to photograph!   :)   I finally used the Best Friends Forever stamp set that we received at Convention back in July.   It is not once that I would have normally purchases, but since I had it, I thought I'd try inking it up.   I also had to add some Fun Flowers from my favorite die.  I hope you enjoyed my card and will give the colors a chance to work for you!

Stamps:  Best Friends Forever
Ink:  Soft Suede, Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler
Paper:  Island Indigo, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Fun Flowers die, Stripes embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Brights buttons, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Pumpkin Pie satin ribbon (retired)