Pocket Full of Ribbons

I'm starting to think I won't finish the HYCCT challenges this year, but I haven't given up just yet!   I managed to finish up two yesterday and one today.   That leaves four more to be caught up.  Whew.  That's a lot, right?! Anyway, this card is for Bev's challenge to make a pocket card.   I kept it pretty simple and used up some of the awesome designer paper I found last year.   Here's the whole card:

The second card I wanted to share is for Teresa's challenge to make a tall card.  I used the measurements she recommended, 3 1/2 x 6 for my final card size.  I even made my own envelope with the awesome Envelope Punch Board!  :)  

Simple, but that sheet of designer paper was too fabulous to cover up too much.  :)

Laila LOVES the dishwasher and I guess now Buba does too.  :)   We are taking her to Old McDonald's Farm tomorrow to pet some animals and run around outside.  I hope she has fun!  

Rays of Gray

Laila and I worked on another card for the Hope You Can Cling To challenges today.   Well, I worked on it and she played I guess.   She also rolled over from tummy to back THREE TIMES when we did tummy time after!   It's amazing to see her hitting those milestones.  Eli's disease never allowed him to do that so it's all new to us.   Anyway, back to the card...   This challenge was from Beate and here's the description:  Finding out that you,a family member or friend has cancer is such a shock. You don't know what to say, you are angry, frustrated, sad.....the world turns gray. But there is always hope and lot of times, the cancer does not win. To show that hope in your cards, create a project (or color an image) mostly in gray tones, but at one splash of color.

Her challenge title was Rays of Hope and got me thinking about another Starburst card.  I thought it might give a bit of interest to all the gray.  As I was looking for a stamp set, I found my Strength & Hope one and thought it was perfect for this card drive!   I'm really loving the cards I'm making for these challenges and I hope they find their way to someone who will love them.   

Stamps:  Strength & Hope(retired)

Ink:  Basic Gray, Melon Mambo

Paper:  Basic Gray, Whisper White, Neutrals DSP stack

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Perfect Pennants die, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, 2 1/2 circle punch, Basic Pearls, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon (retired)

This was our dress rehearsal before her three month pictures.  :)  

PP97: Butterfly of Hope

I'm still stamping away and decided to continue my streak today.   I figure if I need to rest I might as well have fun doing it, right?    Hopefully the creative process will be relaxing and get my dang blood pressure back down!  :)    Today I finally had an idea for the LeAnne's sketch at the Paper Players.  I've been running ideas through my head all week but nothing clicked until today.   I'm glad I waited because I really LOVE how this one turned out!  

I pulled out the lovely Everyday Enchantment paper that I had left from Sale-a-bration this year and everything just seemed to click from there!    My sponges and shimmer paint have been a bit neglected lately, so I grabbed those too!   I am not a great vintage/distressed cardmaker, but I try to pick up hints from my buddy Ann Schach and I've come a long way from where I started!   I used the shimmer paint on my Very Vanilla circle and then sponged over to get a bit of the faux mother-of-pearl technique. It works better on glossy card stock, but I didn't think that would look good with the my design.  It still has a nice shimmer even though you probably can't tell from the picture!   I sponged pretty much everything with Crumb Cake ink, including the ribbon.   All in all, I'm smiling and happy with this one.  I don't say that often, so I should probably put this one in my keep box so I can look back at it when I need motivation. :)

Stamps:  Strength & Hope (retired), Tiny Tags

Ink:  Pool Party, Crumb Cake

Paper:  Pool Party, Peach Parfait, Everyday Enchantment DSP, Very Vanilla

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Scallop Circles #2 die, 3-inch circle die, Beautiful Butterflies die, Beautiful Wings embosslit, Jewelry Tag punch, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, sponges, Pool Party Ruffled ribbon, Basic Pearls

Strength & Hope Class

(inspired by Maureen)

This Saturday I will be hosting a class featuring the Strength & Hope stamp set from the Summer Mini.   Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the sale of each set to breast cancer research and I feel blessed to be a part of such an effort.   If you'd like to attend or purchase the supplies to make these cards, contact me today for more details.   It's a wonderful stamp set that can be used for many different looks.   There's only a few weeks left to get it, so don't miss out!  

Workshop Cards

Wisteria Wonder and Concord Crush together are so fabulous!!!   Here I paired them with the Strength & Hope stamp set and the faux mother-of-pearl technique.   I love how it turned out and I hope my wonderful ladies do as well.   :)

Stamps:  Strength & Hope
Ink:  Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder
Paper:  Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder, Glossy White
Accessories:  Basic Pearls, Frost White Shimmer Paint
Tools:  Big Shot, Framed Tulips embossing folder, sponge, plastic wrap

This has been my favorite stamp set from the Summer Mini catalog and I wanted to show it off tomorrow.   I love how well it pairs with Word Play!   I kept it simple and didn't add any accessories.  Our post office is getting really strict on cards with bumps, so this would be a great card to mail with just a regular ol' postage stamp.  

Stamps:  The Open Sea, Word Play
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Early Espresso
Paper:  Early Espresso, Naturals White, Nautical Expedition DSP

Clean and Simple Mashup

This card is for the clean&simple sketch and the Friday Mashup challenge to use polka dots.   This week I received my copy of Stampin' Success, the magazine Stampin' Up! send out to demonstrators each month.  There was an article in there showing off the color combination of Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, and Old Olive.  I found the gray and yellow to be striking when paired together, so I decided to try them out on a card this week.   What do you think?   

Stamps:   Nature Walk, Strength and Hope

Ink:  Versamark, Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight

Paper:  Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight, Neutrals designer paper stack, Whisper White

Accessories:  Clear embossing powder

Tools:  Big Shot, Beautiful Wings embosslit, heat tool, sponges

May Creative Crew Challenges

These two cards were designed for the May Holiday/Seasonal Focus.  I used the same rough layout, just flipped it for the second card.      CCREW0511HF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - Holiday/Seasonal Focus -- Family Time!  This month we're doing a his & hers challenge. Choose one layout and make a masculine card and a feminine card!   

These two projects focus on the DSP/Color Focus challenge of using the Elegant Soiree DSP or all neutrals with a splash of Baja Breeze.   CCREW0511DF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - DSP/Color Focus: 
-- Go neutral with a splash of color! Instead of whisper white or very vanilla, try naturals white or ivory, confetti white or cream. Large emphasis on neutrals. Look to the Elegant Soiree DSP this month for inspiration: All neutrals with that splash of baja breeze! You do not have to use the Elegant Soiree DSP but that is the look that we're after.

My final creation was a difficult one for me as I am not good at "vintage".   It ended up being a very soft, elegant card with just a hint of distressing.   I love the vintage trinkets and they are perfect for this look.  CCREW0511CF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - Catalog Focus -- So Distressing. Use the Distressing Essentials kit, cutter kit, sponges, daubers. Make the new look old.


The last challenge is one that I didn't do, the scrapbooking focus.   CCREW0511SF, CreativeCrew, SUO or SUM - SB Inspiration Focus: -- Vintage Pages. We want to see black and white or Sepia photos! We want the page to look like it's from a by-gone era, think antiquing, distressing, lace, etc.


I encourage you to play along with us over on Splitcoast this month and upload your beautiful creations!   Be sure to use the challenge id and creativecrew in your keywords so that we can see you work.  :)   

Creative Crew Teaser Part 2

Just another little peek today. :) This is another card I designed for the May Creative Crew challenges. It is actually related to yesterday's card, but I can't tell you how just yet.

Baja Breeze and Basic Gray are now my two favorite colors together. :)

Stamps: Strength & Hope (Summer Mini)
Ink: Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy
Paper: Basic Gray, Baja Breeze, Confetti White
Accessories: Basic Pearls
Tools: Sponges