Color Challenge Catch-Up

Hello there, strangers!  It has been quite a while since I have blogged.  I have been super busy at work, and exhausted when I get home.  I have done some stamping, but just haven't stopped by here.  So, today, I'm back!

My first challenge-love has always been color challenges, which I first discovered on splitcoaststampers.  I had not done one for a while, so today I did all 4 June challenges.  Here they are...

(Note:  Each card today uses all Stampin' Up...though some products are retired.)  The first card uses daffodil delight, certainly celery, and pool party.  I rarely create a card with just subtles, so this was tricky.  I used my markers to color this delicate image from a retired hostess set, Up in the Air.  I decided to keep the card clean and simple, just adding a band of embossing and some taffeta ribbon.



The next card is much more my style, in terms of color:  baja breeze, cajun craze, and cherry cobbler.  Very unique, but I love these rich colors together!  The "dessert option" was to use lucky limeade, such as for stems and leaves.  Well, I forgot all about it...but I'm glad.  I decided to use butterflies instead of flowers, so I pulled out this image from the long-retired "God's Beauty" set.  I also stamped from Word Play onto a sponged panel.  The lower layer is baja breeze from the subgtles pattern paper stack.  Some cherry cobbler baker's twine and basic black brads finish it off.

Now this third card features "Field Flowers" which I finally bought...love it!  The 2-step bloom is gorgeous!  The color challenge called for tangerine tango, chocolate chip, and always artichoke.     I rarely use tangerine, so it was a good chance for me to get reacquainted with it.  I cheated a bit by sponging pool party for the sky...oh well!  The sentiment is from Kindness Matters, on oval punches.  Used my beloved seam binding to make a big bow.



Finally, this card is for the most recent challenge...island indigo, pool party, and whisper white.  Basically monochromatic.  I was tempted to add a pop of something, but held off!  I used my new argyle impressions folder, which goes so well with the kites from "Send me Soaring."  My accessories are retired larger brads, a big designer button, and some silver cord.  This is also the third card with "fussy cutting!"  I'm kinda surprised at myself!

It was a fun day of stamping...hopefully more tomorrow.  It's too hot to do anything outside, so I'll stay in the A/C!

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Mashin' Up with Paper Players!

Hello Stamping Friends!!  I am FINALLY posting some cards!  I actually made 15 cards this past weekend, and 30 the weekend before!  Many are in simple sets, but today I am featuring 2 challenge cards.  It felt great to visit the Friday Mashup (couldn't stay away long!) and Paper Players challenges again.  It was also nice to bring out some new Stampin' Up stuff.  I am winding down my days as a demo to put more energy and time into my speaking events.  But of course, I had to place a BIG order first!  LOL! 

The Friday Mashup challenge uses this fun sketch combined with a bird theme.  The hardest part was deciding which bird to use!  The Paper Players challenge gave us a fun and playful color combo.  I decided to flip the sketch and put it all together!




My first card has a basic gray card base with a layer of lucky limeade from the patterned paper stack.  This stack was available last year, but I just ordered it...how fun to tear into a new stack of paper!!  I added two strips of retired melon mambo ribbon...it's almost gone!  I nearly forgot the center piece, but decided to make my own DP using the challenge colors with these cute birds from "Aviary."  The many image is NEW...from the set "For the Birds."  I used blender pens to color it, then layered it on basic gray and black.  The gray layer is wide enough to add a row of rhinestones, which go perfectly with the retired "You're a Gem" set.  The inside piece of dsp is from an old SAB stack.  Feels good to use retired goodies, along with the new stuff!  This card will be perfect for one of my minstry donors...they support us soooo much!  Hope you like it!!





I made another card for the Friday Mashup.  I just had to play with some of the new colors!  The colors come from this new DSP called Comfort Cafe (I think...since I am not selling stuff now, I am not memorizing names!)  The card base is soft suede, with a layer of very vanilla, embossed with the Big Shot and new chevron impressions folder.  I used this new stitched satin ribbon in the new Midnight Muse color...pretty!  I used 3 patterns from this new dsp...the vertical stripe, the layer under my image, and a piece inside.  I think it's my favorite new pack!  The floral image is from Sale-a-Bration, but I think it goes well with the paper.  I used markers in soft suede, pool party, cajun craze and NEW midnight muse and summer starfruit to color it.  My bird is from "Elements of Style" in pool party and midnight muse, using the rock and roll technique.  My circle punch and sizzix circle die came in handy for the sentiment again!

It feels to post to the blog again!  I'll be sure to come by again soon!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

I'm Still Here!

Hello Stamping Friends!

Some time Friday morning, it occurred to me...no post this week!  For over a year, I always had at least ONE post with the Friday Mashup.  But alas, that gig is complete...

Boohoo.

This weekend, I spentt a boatload of time in my craft space after a 2 week hiatus.  I made 30 cards!  WooHoo!  I will bring 20 of them to work to use for the ministry.  The others are birthday cards to be used later.

Bruce took some pics.  Maybe I'll get a chance to post tomorrow after work.  We're down to one computer...mine was stolen while on vacation!  Long story...I'll share the drama later.

But now, it's time for bed.  Just wanted to stop by.  ;-)

Inky {{{HUGS}}}