FM75: Back to School

I'm attempting to get back in the swing of things with my design teams, so here goes!    Holly has a perfect challenge for this time of year at the Friday Mashup this week.   I think just about everyone is back to school now, so why not make a fun card or project to celebrate?!   

So here is the "Mashup" Challenge:

1. Make a "Back to School" themed project.
2. Or Make a project with "Sewing".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Back to School project with Sewing". 

I didn't mash it up this week as sewing is a bad word in my house.  :)  I wanted to make up some teacher thank yous for the local shop so this challenge was just perfect.  I LOVE the colors so much!   That Color Coach is great at suggesting combinations that rock!   

Stamps:  Greeting Card Kids, Perfectly Preserved, A to Z (retired), Thank You Kindly (retired)

Ink:  Midnight Muse, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Blush Blossom marker

Paper:  Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Cannery framelits, Window Frame framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing pack, Paper-piercing tool, Stampin' Pierce Mat, blender pen

My girl is learning to hold things! 

CAS Paper Players

Clean and simple is an idea I continue to work on, so I thought I'd play along with this fun challenge from Anne Marie at The Paper Players.   I combined it with the CAS challenge today from Splitcoast which is to be inspired by the word school.   Now what I was thinking (and I am going to say I wasn't) picking the image I did, I do not know. Talk about some seriously fussy fussy cutting!  Yikes!    I already struggle with my scissor skills on a normal day, so this was most definitely a challenge.

People always seem to get paper piecing and paper piercing mixed up.  I actually did both on this one, but the piecing happens on the dress, bow, shirt, boy socks, and books.   Those tiny little spaces were awful to cut out let me tell ya!   I kept losing them my desk and was happy when I finally got them all glued down.  I love this color combination so much!  I think my current three favorite SU colors are represented.  :)

Stamps:  Greeting Card Kids, Thank You Kindly (retired)

Ink:  Staz On, Rich Razzleberry plus Crumb Cake, Blush Blossom, and Daffodil Delight markers

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Brights and In Color DSP stacks, Cottage Wall DSP (retired)

Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Labels Framelits, Festive Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Snips

One of my favorite pictures from her 1 month photo shoot.  It's hard to believe that she'll be 2 months old next week.  The days are just flying by!  

Double the Challenge

Today I decided to work on the idea for Just Add Ink that I didn't have time to finish on Saturday.  After seeing this week's Mojo Monday sketch, I did change up things a bit.   I thought it was a neat sketch and lent itself to a more clean-and-simple card which is what I had time to make.  :)  

I chose primary colors for my card since it is meant for a teacher thank you card.  I added in a few other elements like the School Lines stamp and the spiral order punch.  Those both work perfectly with the school boy from Greeting Card Kids.   I stamped him on a scrap of Whisper White and then colored and cut him out.   He is popped up on dimensionals and stands out quite nicely.   :)    I will say that it is not a card that I'd normally make, but working outside our comfort zones is what makes us better stampers, right? 

Stamps: Thank You Kindly, Greeting Card Kids, School Lines
Ink:  Real Red, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede, Blush Blossom
Paper:  Real Red, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Brights DSP stack, Whisper White
Tools/Accessories:  Big Shot, Stripes and Houndstooth embossing folders, Labels framelits, scallop circle punch, spiral border punch, blender pen

FMS13: Square Leaves

Time for another fun sketch from Freshly Made Sketches!    Lesley is our hostess this week and has challenged us with the awesome sketch!  The possibilities are endless as you can see from the samples from the design team.   I hope you'll find a bit of time to play along!

Are you confused?   I've been having a horrible time dealing with the holidays these past few weeks and I think that might be a part of why I haven't had any desire to stamp.   When I sat down to make my card for this week, I gave myself permission to make whatever came to mind, even if it was totally the wrong season.    My Spice Cake paper and Gently Falling stamp set are two of my favorite products, so I grabbed them, hugged them, and got to work.   While it is still not a masterpiece, I actually like it.   Well, minus the crooked sentiment. Don't you hate when you get to that last step and mess up?   I even used my stamp-a-ma-jig!   I think I was just tired by the time I finished and my eyes were crooked.   :)   

I hope you'll go check out the blog and see all the other gorgeous samples that the design team created to inspired and motivate you.  I can't wait to see what YOU create!

colourQ 110: CAS Leaf

Aren't these colors lovely?    I have to say, those cookies made me a bit hungry too!   For my colourQ card this week I decided to go clean-and-simple.   When you look at it, you're probably going to think it took minutes to make.   I wish!   For me, the simple cards are the most difficult!   Every detail of this type of card must be perfect and the spacing must be exact in order for the card to look right.   I think I had to redo this one a few times before I got it where I liked it.  

I have to say, I do love how it turned out.   For the background behind the leaf, I used  Pool Party ink and one of my clear blocks and the A to Z background stamp (stamped off once).   It gives a nice, but subtle frame for my gorgeous leaf.   The leaf is inked with Peach Parfait and then rock-n-rolled in Cajun Craze (the closest color I had to Dusty Durango).   I did this twice and cut them both out and layered them for a bit of dimension and interest.   The sentiment is inked with Soft Suede.  I hope you like it and will try your own CAS card soon!  

Stamps:  A to Z, Gently Falling, Thank You Kindly
Ink:  Pool Party, Peach Parfait, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede
Paper:  Naturals White, Soft Suede, Pool Party
Tools/Accessories:  clear block, paper snips, stamp-a-ma-jig

FMS9: Cherry Leaves

It's Freshly Made Sketches day!   Tui designed this fun sketch for us this week; isn't it cool?    Because it is a new month, we also have 2 new featured designers so be sure to stop by and say hello to Lauri and Christy.   

My take on the sketch uses my favorite new stamp set, Gently Falling and one of my favorite new color combinations.   Cherry Cobbler is so fantastic and by using it with neutrals, it really shines!   My friend Ann inspired me to try using vellum to soften the background of my card.   I love the look of it on this one and will definitely be adding it to more cards in the future.   

Stamps:  Gently Falling, Thank You Kindly

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso

Paper:  vellum, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Tools/Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, neutrals (or antique) brads, Cherry Cobbler seam binding

FMS8: Gently Falling

Time for a new challenge from Freshly Made Sketches!   Our featured designer this week is Holly Endress from HollyBeary Creations.  Be sure to drop by and say hello!   This sketch really has endless possibilities, so I can't wait to see all the wonderful creations this week.    

I hope you'll like my take on the sketch.  I tried a different arrangement of leaves to make it a bit more like the sketch, but I ultimately gave up and went with this arrangement.   I enjoyed borrowing this set so much that I ordered my own over the weekend.  I just know my club ladies will LOVE it as much as I do, so I had to get it so they could try it too!

Stamps:  Gently Falling, Thank You Kindly
Ink: Pool Party, Soft Suede
Paper:  Spice Cake DSP, Neutrals DSP stack, Pool Party, Soft Suede
Tools/Accessories:  Paper Snips, Linen Thread

Elegant Butterflies

Glitter is tough to photograph! I hope you can at least get an idea of what this one looks like. :o) I wanted to do a simple, yet elegant thank you card. Our embossing folders make it really easy to put together a card without having to do too much work. 

Stamps: Thank You Kindly (Sale-a-bration freebie!)

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories: Basic Pearls, Basic Black satin ribbon

Tools: Big Shot, Elegant Lines embossing folder, Beautiful Butterflies die, heat tool, heat and stick powder, glitter, black embossing powder