Friday Mashup! Time to Get Punchy Baby!!

Hey there, Stampin' Friends!! It's time for the Friday Mashup!!
I have a fun challenge for you! I work for a non-profit Christian ministry...and we help mommies and babies! I LOVE babies!! And I love making baby themed cards...for a new born, for a first birthday, even for the first time mom while she is still pregnant! Feel free to make other non-card baby-themed projects.

Now, part 2...Last night was literally the night of a major fund raiser for the ministry, and I have been working long hours trying to get things just right. (That's why I haven't been stamping or blogging) I am generally a night-owl, but with the extra stress, I have been a little punchy lately...so there's the inspiration for the second part of the challenge!! Bring out your punches...special shapes, pretty borders and corners...even dies and sizzlits that you crank through your Big Shot. Can't wait to see what you create... Put FM04 in your online gallery to show off your entry. Time to get Punchy, Baby!!

I really struggled with my card, even though it was MY idea!! LOL! My creative juices were a little slow coming, since I have been suffering from Banquet Brain Syndrome. Anywho...I decided to use some punches to make a cute crib for my little baby who obviously is not in the mood for sleeping! I used a great girl card color combo...pear pizazz, chocolate chip, and pink pirouette, with a touch of melon mambo. The dsp is a scrap from some retired patterned paper, but you can get the new stuff in the subtles paper stack. The crib was made with the scallop trim and word window punches, and some added rhinestones. Hey, why not start a girl out right?! The baby image is from a retired set called Baby's Firsts. I colored her with markers and cut her out before putting her to bed. My whisper white card stock was placed in the Big Shot with the perfect polka dots impression folder. I left the bottom plain so I could stamp the sentiment (retired SAB stamp). I added some grosgrain ribbon for the final touch. My hair stylist is due to deliver a baby girl any day...guess who gets this card!

Hopefully, I'll know how well the fund raiser went this time next week. If you are the prayin' type, I'd appreciate your prayers! Our goal is to raise $80,000. WooHoo!!

Thanks for playing along with the Friday Mashup!! Remember...put FM04 in your online gallery!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Hip to be Square in B&W!!

Hey there, Mashup Friends!! It's time for another Friday Mashup Challenge!!
This week, Lesley gave us a classy challenge...make a card in black and white, or make a square card...or do both! I love black and white cards, but I gotta admit, I struggle with them. Seriously! I love color, so I just want to smack down a punch of red, or a splash of turquoise...maybe even pink! But I took up the challenge and came up with this:
I began with a basic black card base. I added a layer of basic black pattern paper from the Neutrals Stack. Next, I brought out my Baroque Motifs, and stamped the flourish onto whisper white with basic black craft ink, added clear embossing powder, and heat embossed. My Big Shot and Top Note die were perfect for this challenge, I thought. I scattered basic jewel rhinestones around the flourish, and out 2 on the dsp layer as well. The sentiment is from...you guessed it, Teeny Tiny Wishes. It had never seen ink! Oh my, guess I haven't made too many wedding cards! I punched it out with the modern label, layered over a scallop oval (flip side of the dsp) and popped up with dimensionals. Finally, luscious white organza ribbon with a bit of silver cording (hard to see) at the top.

Now...who's getting married??

Can't wait to see what you create! Make sure you put the keyword MU03 in your online gallery!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Inspired by Ace of Cakes

Happy Saturday...again!! My third post today...I better do some laundry or something today! LOL

Today is the Inspiration Challenge over at SCS. The inspiration site was Ace of Cakes. I love watching Duff and his cake decorating crew on the Food Network, so I decided to join in the challenge. This is the cake I selected...spring flowers with chocolate! Yummy and pretty! My first attempt late last night when the challenge was first posted looked pretty sad. I decided to actually get some sleep and try again.

I used pretty in pink and marina mist taffeta ribbon for the petals. They are adhered on the back of a big designer button in daffodil delight, available from the Sew Suite collection in the Occasions Mini Catalog. I also added a bit of linen thread to the center. The stem and leaf are pear pizazz poly twill ribbon. Matching the brim of the original; cake,I used some polka satin (retired) Ribbon Originals. The sentiment is from Hello Again, stamped in pear pizazz and punched out with the curly label punch. All of this ribbon art is attached on a chocolate chip layer, which is added to a chocolate chip card base. After all, you can't go wrong with chocolate on chocolate!

Now, for a piece of Dove dark chocolate!

Inky, Chocolate smudged {{{HUGS}}}

Que up the Free4All Challenge!!

Hello again! Another duo challenge card... SCS Free4All challenge called on us to use furniture and do some spring cleaning...like using old accessories. The ColourQ challenge was a tough one...Kraft (crumb cake), Cherry Cobbler, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, and white. Gasp! What to do?

So Friday after work, I pulled out my trusty, albeit strange retired Stampin' Up set "Please be Seated." Yup...2 weeks in a row! Who would have thunk it? I was horrified to see that I am out of crumb cake card stock, except some scraps. I'll be placing an order today!! (Plus my SU Demo pre-order for the upcoming Summer Mini Catalog!) My card base is tangerine, and I added a layer of crumb cake from the neutrals pattern paper stack. I had an already cut out Top Note die piece of whisper white, which I cut just a bit more than halfway down. I stamped the sofa in basic black craft and heat embossed. I used my aqua painter to watercolor the image, adding a bit of a shadow as well. The striped kiwi kiss ribbon is retired, as is the corduroy brad. I have used this image for birthdays and anniversaries...I like it better than "over the hill" LOL!! So I finished the card up with cherry cobbler pattern paper, modern label and word window punches, and the trusty Teeny Tiny Wishes.

Thanks for stopping by!
Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Very Bright and Sketchy!!

Happy Saturday!! I am posting several things today, but since they each correspond to challenges (you know I love 'em!), I will have separate blog posts. Here's my first card...


This week's Create with Connie and Mary Challenge was a bold and bright color combo...pacific point, real red, and pumpkin pie. I was at a complete loss for a while...but pulled out my Flight of the Butterfly stamp set and this week's SCS sketch challenge, and things came together. I turned the sketch on its side to accommodate this fun sentiment. I had a good size scrap of this retired polka dot dsp, which is perfect, and I also used some yummy (and current!) Blueberry Crisp dsp for the lower layer. I stamped the pumpkin for the wings first, then the polka dots. This set is a great 2-step stamping set, and I am happy to have it out for spring again! My butterfly punch and dimensionals allow me to give the image flight! I still needed a circle type layer to complete the sketch, so I simply layered punches, and added a glimmer brad with the Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiment.

Yes, this card has LOTS of layers...but sometimes, I think it works great! What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by! Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! A Colorful Sketch!

Hey there, Stampin' Friends! Are you ready to Mash things Up?? This week's Friday Mashup Challenge is a fun one...this great sketch from Kathy with some fantastic colors chosen by Holly! Don't have the colors? Just do the sketch! Have a different sketch idea? Just use the colors! Or you can Mashup both like I did!

I brought out this great stamp set, Nature Walk (available in the Occasions Mini Catalog until April 30th) and made my own designer paper by stamping images randomly on very vanilla. I let the bird be the focal point, since he fits perfectly with this sketch. Oh, and you probably noticed...I turned the sketch on its side. I used the Regals Pattern Paper stack in cajun craze for the layer under the bird, and added details with the scallop trim border punch. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday, punched out with my 1-3/8" punch and layered on a scallop circle in marina mist. I added crumb cake seam binding, also in the mini catalog...gonna stock up before April 30th...LOVE this stuff! I scrunched it by pressing it down randomly on sticky strip. Did this a few weeks ago on a card, and it got rave reviews! Had to do it again! Lots of basic pearls finish it off.

So, there you have it. Great sketch, fun colors...Mash it up! Make sure you show us your creation, ans use the keyword FM02 in your online gallery! I can't wait to see what you create!

For the Birds...Part 2

Hello and Happy Sunday!
I really did not plan on posting 2 cards in a row with birds, but why not, right? Today's Featured Stamper on SCS is Becky, aka Bspinks. She has a lovely gallery, and I chose this card to CASE. I thought I had some dsp with music on it, but nope! So, I went to my stash of church music copies (don't worry, we have a license to copy for our parish), and I cut out a small strip from Psalm 25. The music was white, but I stained it, literally, with tea. When it dried, it wasn't quite right, so I sponged some close to cocoa on it. The bird image is retired, from Touch of Nature, the sentiment is an unknown single stamp. Both are stamped in basic black craft ink, then heat embossed. The DSP is called Love Letters. I used my Beautiful Wings embosslit and Big Shot, cutting out lots of butterflies from cherry cobbler, basic black, and cherry cobbler. The ribbon is retired SU ribbon originals. I used the scallop trim punch, and mounted it all on a crumb cake card base.

I'll be sending this to a friend who has been going through a rough time. She finished a round of chemo earlier this month...and her husband had surgery last week to remove part of his lung because of cancer. So much for one family. Thankfully, they are people of strong faith.

Thanks for coming by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

For the Birds

Hello everyone!

I made this card on Saturday for Wednesday's sketch challenge, but posting it on Sunday!! Did you follow that?? Busy schedules make for difficult posting...but hey, no biggie. I stamp whenever I can!



I started with a pumpkin pie card base, and used daffodil delight and pear pizazz for accents. All of these go perfectly with this print from Greenhouse Gala dsp. Such a variety in that package! My main image is from Aviary, stamped in stazon black on whisper white. I added a tall bird, colored with my markers, even added color to the bird cage. Each layer was accented with the scallop trim punch. Some people line up their scallops perfectly. God Bless them! I am not that coordinated! LOL! The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes, paired up with the word window and modern label punches. Basic jewel pearls and grosgrain ribbon finish it off.

About that ribbon... the card did not include ribbon originally. In fact, my first picture was without the ribbon. But, alas, my picture was not very good, so I decided to ask my husband to take a picture. But before I did, I set the card down...and behold! 2 small black splotches appeared! Gasp! I found the guilty party...a sponge wedge...sitting there, acting innocent. What to do? I once read a wise piece of advice, which I share with all stampers, experienced or novice: "There are no mistakes. Only opportunities for embellishment."

Yup. Another reason to keep a healthy stash of ribbon around!!

Inky and Splotchy {{{HUGS}}}

Sleepy Inspiration

Today, I planned on sleeping in. I had a full week at work, and Saturday's are my one day to stay in bed without any timeline. Plus, I confess, I was up 'til 1:30 a.m. looking at blogs and galleries! So imagine my disappointment when the phone rang at 8:10 a.m! Grrrrrr. I couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and looked up the Inspiration Challenge on SCS. Now, this challenge took quite bit of time. I was not happy with the first card (posting any way) and decided to make another. Plus I had a happy detour of a phone call from a stamping friend!

My first card was inspired by this picture of mini ink pads. I just took my brights collection craft stampin' spots and stamped on whisper white, then coated with clear embossing powder and heat embossed. I mounted it on daffodil delight. The sentiment is from Fundamental Phrases, mounted in tempting turquoise and rich razzleberry. I added 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon in razzleberry, turquoise, and daffodil. It's clean and simple....but hmmm, not sure if I like it!

Next, I looked at this beach chair. I liked the earthy tones. I would never sit in anything like it...'cuz I would be stuck for good! Remember when I mentioned the online auction of retired Stampin' Up products? Well I got a package of Rustic Retreat ribbon originals. Perfect for this challenge. Wide ribbons work very well as substitutes for card stock or dsp when adding "layers". I had some retired creamy caramel card stock which I used for the base. The image is from the retired Please Be Seated, colored with markers and my blender pens. I matted it on basic black to coordinate with the ribbon. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes...but not punched out! Gasp!

Thanks for stopping by...maybe I won't be so tired tomorrow!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Exciting News!!!

Hello Stampin' Friends!! I have some very exciting news! I have been invited to join the Design Team for the updated "Friday Mashup" blog challenge!! WooHoo!! This is my first DT gig, and I am thrilled! The Mashup has a new look, and we get to combine, or "mashup" challenges! Right up my alley!

Well, with the new look, today is Friday Mashup 1...and YOU can join us! We're challenged to combine Butterflies with Dimension. Perfect for spring!










I also combined it with the SCS Free4All challenge to use embedded embossing. This is a simple technique that gives a Wow effect!

I needed a sympathy card...an area demo lost her father today. Somehow, I always feel like butterflies make people feel better. First, I started with a baja breeze card base, and added a bit of Springtime Vintage DSP (found in the Mini Occasion catalog). I cut the leaves in pear pizazz and flowers in so saffron, using my sizzlits and Big Shot... glued them onto a square of very vanilla, and then ran the whole thing through with the square lattice folder. Cool, huh? The flowers needed centers, so out came my subtles collection glimmer brads. Next, I cut out 2 butterflies using the Bigz Beautiful Butterflies die, glued them together, then embossed them with the same folder. Some basic pearl jewels and dimensionals on the back add...well, dimension! My sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes cut out with the word window punch. Finally, a bit of very vanilla satin ribbon. Gotta have ribbon!

This card will take some extra postage...it is square, and has bulk with those glimmer brads. But sometimes, an extra stamp is the least we can give.

Thanks for stopping by. Now go check out the Friday Mashup for yourself!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}

Happy Birthday, Claire!

Hello Friends!

Today is my dear friend Claire's birthday. I met Claire at church shortly after moving here. We connected right away. She is around the same age as my mom, and since my mom lives so far away, it was nice to have a mom-like friend close by. I sang at weddings for 2 of her 4 kids...and one of them sang at mine! Claire and her husband Bill volunteer at the ministry behind the scenes. They stuff envelopes, take out the garbage, weed the flower beds, participate in the Walk for Life. They are such humble servants who love Christ and His precious children so much!! I love them dearly!!

Claire loves pinwheels, and so I made this card for her. Boy, did I struggle with it! The colors were not my idea, but a Color Challenge (of course!) on SCS...baja breeze, poppy parade, and pear pizazz. I cut 2 inch squares of patterned paper in each color (the poppy and pear are from the Hostess Level 1 pack), cut them in half diagonally, then rounded the corner. Placing them on the whisper white background was far more tricky then it should have been! I placed a big designer button from the Mini Occasion catalog Springtime Vintage collection in the center. It has just a bit of linen thread on it as well.

The pinwheel takes so much room, that I really struggled with the sentiment. So, I just cut a tag, added some baja breeze and pear pizazz seam binding, and stuck it in on an angle. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday.

Kinda different...hope she likes it!! Maybe YOU have a good friend who needs a card today!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Stylish Again!

I am so excited, because I have been given the...




WooHoo! With so many GREAT blogs out there,and so much talent on so many design teams, this makes me feel pretty special!! Now, as a recipient, I need to do a few things. First, I need to thank the stamper who gave me this award...thank you Angel, of "Make Something Cute!" I first found her blog from a list of SU demo blogs...and does she have talent!!

Now, I need to share 8 things about me...
1) I am 4' 10-1/2" tall... 4' 11" on a good day!
2) I graduated with a degree in Music Liberal Arts from Illinois State University; emphasis in Music Therapy; voice was my "instrument"
3) I am allergic to cats...and a little bit to dogs, especially when they lick my face!
4) I LOVE public speaking, especially about my faith and dignity of life issues!
5) I have 2 older brothers and one younger sister
6) I love early espresso...but could easily live without river rock!
7) My hubby and I were foster parents for 8 years
8) I love singing in Latin and Italian...struggle with French...and sound awful trying to sing in German!

Now, I need to pass this blog on to 8 fabulous Stylish Bloggers! I have recently started following bunch...this could take a while...

1) Pauline at The Pursuit of Stampi'ness
2) Jennifer at Welcome to Paper Tramp Stamper
3) Dale at Dale's Designs
4) Kelly at Sandcastle Stamper
5) AnnMarie at AnnMarie's Stamping Adventure
6) Elaine at Create & Stamp with Elaine
7) another Anne Marie at Stampin' Anne
8) Holly at HollyBeary Creations


So there it is! Loads of Stylish Inspiration out there...check it out, and USE it!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Cake Inspiration

Two posts in one day! I guess I am anticipating a rough week later on!

Last Thursday, the Create with Connie and Mary blog challenge had us look at a pretty funky cake. I focused primarily on the color scheme, but there were some stripes and some curvy swirls also.





I decided my striped river rock pattern paper would work, and I used my extra large decorative label punch 3 times to get some swirls. I stamped the Hostess Level set, Silhouette Sentiments, on whisper white, using my marina mist and river rock markers. I cut the other labels, then attached the pieces along the edge of the white label to get this effect. Satin ribbon always adds a nice touch, and a bit of retired gold cord matches the trim on the cake. My sentiment is punched out with a circle, and the main whisper white panel went through the big shot with the perfect polka dot impressions folder.

Funky cake...fun card!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Never too Late to Use Color!

Hello there! This past week's Color Challenge on SCS was a great spring palette...but it took me until Sunday to actually make a card. Truthfully, when I looked at the colors...marina mist, certainly celery, and baja breeze, I thought about some retired dsp. I don't recall the name, but it coordinates with the retired set Embrace Life. I actually cut out a piece with my top note die on Tuesday, but did nothing else for days! LOL!

After lots of thought, I did something new: I cut the top note into quarters, then pieced them on the left of both the outside and the inside of the card, so that both patterns show. I stamped the large flower and leaves from Embrace Life in a random pattern, then cut one out as a focal point. A round fire brad and dimensionals pop it up. Teeny Tiny Wishes show up with the punch duo word window and modern label.


The inside sentiment is from Thoughts and Prayers. The seam binding on the front is technically pear pizazz (fabulous blog candy I won from Anne Marie!!), but it looks like celery here. And take note...it's tied in a BOW! Not a knot, not a flat stripe...an actual BOW! Took me forever (along with some strategically placed glue dots.)

I am so glad I have a picture to prove this happened...it may never happen again! Then again, maybe it's 'cuz I got it from Stampin' Anne...she makes great bows! LOL!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Weekend Challenges

Hello Stampin' Friends!

Another busy work week, but the weekend is for stampin'!! I made just one card yesterday, since I didn't want to "ignore" my hubby 2 weekends in a row! LOL! Today is Featured Stamper day on SCS, and we get to CASE Irene, aka DandI93. Another great new gallery for me!! Here is the card I chose to CASE. I used the same sentiment from Thoughts and Prayers. I kept the nature theme going with Botannical Gazette dsp and Nature Walk stamps, still available from the Occasions Mini catalog until April 30. The card base is early espresso, and the images are stamped on very vanilla cut out with the Top Note die and my big shot. Note that I cut off the edge along the perforations, so the lower layer of dsp can be seen. I colored the flowers with my markers, stamped once, then again to soften the image and add dimension. The butterfly is stamped in early espresso, but colored with so saffron using my blender pen. I cut it out and popped it up with dimensionals. Some sponging and vintage brads finish it off.

Yesterday's Inspiration challenge took us to a fun beach/nautical decor website. I chose this mirror as my inspiration. I am not thrilled with the execution of my design...but it was fun nonetheless! I used the single stamp Elegant Thank You in chocolate chip craft ink, used clear embossing powder, then heat embossed. It is stamped on an oval, then I placed random sizes of card stock strips around it to mimic the inspiration piece. Each of the pieces are dry embossed with the square lattice folder and my big shot, then sponged with chocolate chip. The colors are chocolate chip, baja breeze, certainly celery, so saffron, bashful blue,and basic gray. I mounted it on a sahara sand card base.

If I decide to make another, I would mount the strips first, then cut out the center. That's IF I make another one!! LOL!!

Thanks for stopping by! Inky {{{HUGS}}}