I Love these Colors!!

Today's Color Challenge on splitcoaststampers was a fun one. I must confess that I felt a bit like I cheated because I made this card last month when I got my new supplies, but while my camera was whacko! So, it never got uploaded here or on SCS! So it is not new to me, but it is to the world! LOL!! By showing it to you now, you get to see it with my watermark...how cool is that?

Why didn't I make a new card today? Well, work was exhausting but productive today. Began the day with prayer alongside my staff and volunteers and the ultrasound trainer. I am so proud of my volunteers! And my Nurse Manager has worked so hard getting them ready for this! She's a gem! It will be a blessing to see how many more moms will choose life for their precious babies in the future!!

I then did a lot of work for our upcoming Walk for Life...had a board meeting...budget for the new fiscal year approved...discussed some cases with my Client Services Manager... I was Too Tired to Stamp!! I am glad I had this card waiting for the gallery!! All of the products used are from Stampin' Up!

I love the new Concord Crush...it is such a deep, saturated color! The softness of Pear Pizzazz and Daffodil Delight balance it out. I used Elements of Style stamp set, and added some gemstones. (They were leftovers from the spring mini catalog...but you can get them now in the full-sized IBC!) The whisper white and pear pizzazz layers are texturized with my Big Shot Texturz Plates. I cut out the small sentiment, layered it on a large oval. Lots of ticket corner punch action here! The 1/8" taffeta ribbon in daffodil literally wraps it up!

Like it?? I do!! Guess I should send it to someone....

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Back with a Birthday Bash!!

Hey there! I am back from my fantastic vacation! In addition to unpacking and checking voice mail, I knew I needed to get back to my stamps!! Since last Friday was my birthday (on the beach, no less!) and since I need lots of birthday cards, I decided to make several birthday cards today. I used some of the Dare to Get Dirty (from splitcoaststampers) challenges for these. While most of the features on splitcoaststampers are free to anyone, the DTGD challenges are for Fan Club members only. It only costs $25 for a full year...dirt cheap considering how much time I spend there!!

Everything used in today's post are from Stampin' Up! My first 2 cards feature my brand new "Just Believe" stamp set! It arrived the day before I left for vacation, so I could hardly wait to get it inky! This card has a Peach Parfait card base, and Greenhouse Gala dsp. I used my peach parfait and pear pizzazz markers to color the main image. Three punches came in handy...modern label, corner rounder, and scallop edge punch. I struggled a bit, but tied a real bow with my daffodil delight 1/8" taffeta ribbon!!

The same image is on this square card, but in soft suede. I pulled out Elegant Soiree dsp and my large scallop circle Big Shot die. My smaller scallop punch is actually at my office for that baby card project, so I used the 1-3/8" circle punch poppd up on dimensionals, with a small loop of white taffeta ribbon colored with a soft suede marker.

My next card uses a retired sentiment stamp, but everything else is available in the current IBC. The colors are cherry cobbler, basic black, and very vanilla. I sponged cherry cobbler ink over the panel run through my Big Shot with Fifth Avenue Floral embossing folder. Satin ribbon and pearls add a nice feminine touch.

Finally, I used familiar stamps (Inspired by Nature, Flight of the Butterfly and Teeny Tiny Wishes) with NEW colors: Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz, Early Espresso, and Wild Wasabi. I kept it very simple, with just a small butterfly from the Beautiful Wings embosslit die and daffodil delight 1/4" grosgrain ribbon as finishing touches.

Hope you like these! Now, time to look at my birthday list to see where I need to send these!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

A Week with No Stamps...GASP!

No, I am not in time-out!!

I am on vacation away from home (as opposed to several vacation days I take in my craft room!)

I will be visiting with lots of family, and I did not want to carry my stampin' stuff with me. If it was just me and mom, then I would have! That's for another trip!

So my posts will be rare...maybe I'll get a picture of some nice scenery.

I will share this fun bit of info. My Nurse Manager is working with three of our volunteers and a great training program to get the nurses ready to perform limited obstetric ultrasound at the clinic! We will have just over 60 pregnant women come in...and Mary K wanted to give these women a card with an ultrasound picture of their precious unborn baby. So, I designed a Clean and Simple (CAS) card...left tools ink and card stock...gave brief instructions (my administrative assistant has done some stamping, so she will confidently lead the way!)...and the staff will make cards while I am gone!!

Baby cards...baby pictures...

Now that is Stamping for LIFE!!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Another Color Challenge

I LOVE Color Challenges! It's kinda funny...because several of my cyber friends say they "hate" the weekly color challenge on splitcoaststampers. Oh well...we're all different, and that makes our galleries so varied and beautiful!

The Color Challenge from Tuesday called for Wild Wasabi, Marina Mist, and Cherry Cobbler. LOVE this color palette! I made 2 very different cards.

The first card is a simple birthday card using the 2-step stamp set Awash with Flowers and On Your Birthday. I used basic gray to stamp the flower outlines, then added marina mist and cherry cobbler. I sponged with the marina mist and wasabi, and added a bit of daffodil delight for the sun. The main panel is highlighted with the scallop edge punch. Notice the rhinestones? Love having these! The dsp behind the sentiment is from the regals pattern pack...a must-have in my book! Taffeta ribbon literally tops it all off.

The second card was super easy! I had to try my new ornament punch! This month's club hostess chose "Christmas in July" as her theme. I simply punched out the 3 challenge colors, used versamark with Serene Snowflakes, and placed them on basic black. Teeny Tiny Wishes and the Modern Label Punch make a comeback here...you didn't think I lost them did you?? White oranza ribbon adds an elegant finish.

Have fun playing with your new colors!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Dare to Use Old and New!!

It's Wednesday, and my camera works! That means I completed AND can post another Color Dare challenge card! WooHoo!!

Riley (Color Dare hostess) pulled out some blues and greens that I never would have put together on my own. (Thanks, Riley!) Taken with Teal and Kiwi Kiss are retired, but I have a healthy stash still around. The other colors are Baja Breeze, Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla. My first instinct was to bring out whisper white, so even using very vanilla as my neutral was a challenge!

All materials are from Stampin' Up! The card base is kiwi, layered with the teal and vanilla. I ran the vanilla through the Big Shot with Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder. The main image, layered on artichoke, is from the new Friends Never Fade stamp set. I colored this stylized flower with markers, adding a bit of So Saffron. I had fun with the blossoms...colored with baja first, then I "thumped" my teal marker on the stamp to add more color. The sentiment is from Because I Care, a new Level 1 Hostess set. I used 3 punches; ticket corner, large oval and scallop oval. The baja ribbon is retired...but you can make some by using a baja breeze re-inker with white satin ribbon! The buttons are "retired" but currently available on the Clearance List!

Hope you like this card...I liked making it!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Open House Fun!!

Hey, I am back! Fixed the issue with uploading pictures to my laptop...hopefully can get things to upload to splitcoaststampers too!

This weekend, I held my new IBC Open House. What fun! Longtime stamping friends came, and I met some new people too! It will be fun to get together again sometime...I need to plan my play dates!!

Funny story...Sunday's time-slot was 1-4 pm. I had 7 of you from 1-3-ish...and you all left within 10 minutes of each other. I settled down in my den... Then Jennifer came by at 3:30! I almost thought she was too late! Apparently I looked a bit dazed and confused! Heehee! Thanks for being patient with me, Jen!

Thanks to Debbie, Elaine, Malynda, Patricia, Gina, Rachel, Taylor, Lauren, Vera, and Jennifer for joining me!! Each of them got to pick from one of these two Make-and-Take cards (make it, take it home!). They also got some good deals on retired goodies, and filled out a scavenger hunt for a chance to win 3 Stampin' Write markers...Congrats to Rachel! Some placed orders on new stuff too, so it was a fun weekend for everyone!

My first card shows off Baja Breeze card stock with the new Elegant Soiree dsp. I added Early Espresso satin ribbon...yummy! The Hostess Level 1 set, Silhouette Sentiments, was stamped in Soft Suede and Baja Breeze on Very Vanilla card stock, punched out with the scallop circle punch. I added a bit of sponging and dimensionals to highlight the middle circle.


The second card is so summery, isn't it?? We started with a Wild Wasabi card base, and added Whisper White and Perfect Plum. I used Stampin' write markers in Perfect Plum and Wild Wasabi to color the main image of Because I Care, another Hostess Level 1 set. Two brads in Elegant Eggplant, found in the new Regals Collection of brads were added to the corner. The Perfect Plum layer was embossed with Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder in my Big Shot. The sentiment is also in wasabi, on whisper white, punch with the large oval, placed on a scallop oval punched out or eggplant patterned paper from the new regals collection. Dimnesionals were added for, well, dimension!

Hope you like these...and hope they inspire you to make something pretty!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Quick DASH!

I am having camera problems, so I have not uploaded for quite a while! BooHoo!

The NEW Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalog (IBC) launched 2 days ago...WooHoo!!! I already ordered a gazillion things! Not really...but my hubby thinks so! Hey...I got him golf clubs for Father's Day, so we're good, right?? Besides, I get the fabulous Demo discount, so it's even better!!

For my local gals...I hope you can join me either Saturday July 10 or Sunday July 11 for my new Catalog Open House!! You'll make a cute Make-and-Take...and I am gonna have door prizes!! Drop me a line if you are coming!!

Hope to upload stuff this weekend!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}