Winter Birthdays

Hello Stamping Friends!!

Well, dear hubby and I are back from vacation...and I spent lots of time in my stamp room.  Originally, I was going to finish my Christmas cards...but I got on a birthday card kick.  I signed some cards in my stash for a few upcoming birthdays, and made a couple of quick cards for other stamping friends (no pics), but I also had fun making these 2 cards.  Everything is from Stampin' Up!  **Editted:  My first card fits the current Friday Mashup challenge...yay!

The first one is for my aunt.  Honestly, I didn't know her birthday was coming up, but thank goodness for Facebook!  I couldn't possibly give cards to everyone, but I love adding some extended family to the card list.  This took very little time...I had this piece of baja breeze pattern paper in my scraps, and this piece with my own pattern made from Serene Snowflakes.  (Advantages of not cleaning up before vacation!)  Even this felt snowflake was left out!  The sentiment is from On Your Birthday, featuring the scallop oval and decorative label punches.  Ruffled ribbon and a rhinestone finish it off.  The colors in this card are concord crush, wisteria wonder, island indigo, and baja breeze.

The next card is for a niece, whose birthday I thought was in February.  Glad I checked!  (I will be making a new birthday calendar for myself this month!)  I used my Big Shot with the Tasteful Trim die to cut out some silver glimmer paper.  The image is from Snow Much Fun, colored with markers and a bit of dazzling diamonds. I added wild wasabi and a bit of pumpkin pie for contrasting colors Sarah loves orange...I always add some even if it doesn't seem to "go with" the rest of the card.  The sentiment is from On Your Birthday.  Bakers twine is the last detail.

It felt great to create again!  I hope to stamp even more in the New Year!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Another Snowy Wedding

Hello friends...

I made this card before I left for vacation.  We did not get a picture until the night before we left my mom's house.  Good thing, because this card won't be in my possession much longer.

My husband and I will be attending a wedding today...and once again, I opted to use my long-retired felt snowflakes as a feature.  The wedding color palette features some dark shade of blue:  I chose midnight muse.  (The lighter blue seen is baja breeze)  The card base is 5" square, and I added a layer off the same color that was embossed with Petals-a-Plenty and lightly sponged with shimmer mist.  I even added a strip inside.  In addition to the snowflakes, I have used stitched ribbon and rhinestones.  The sentiment is from Trust God, stamped in Midnight Muse.  I actually heat embossed it...these new SU classic ink pads are very juicy! The sentiment is paired with the scallop oval and decorative label punch.

We're near St. Louis now, and there is a fresh blanket of snow this morning.  I think this will be a beautiful day!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

More VSN cards!

Well, despite my grandiose plans to complete this weekend's VSN challenges, I only got 3 others done on Saturday (doped up on arthritis meds...ugh), and none on Sunday (church, Christmas shopping and a movie!)  I am sure I will do a few others just for fun.  These cards were done "on time" but not uploaded.  Good thing there is no deadline for my blog!  *wink*  My descriptions will be very brief tonight...gotta finish addressing Christmas cards!

This first card is for a challenge to feature red, and possibly a fire theme.  I feature Poppy Parade.  I did very little stamping on this card.  Instead I feature punches...the stocking, modern label, circle, and bird punch (for the flames) are all from Stampin Up.  The logs and fireplace are simply a wood patterned paper.  The sentiment is from Flexible Phrases.

The next challenge card uses pine trees, as well as a sketch challenge found earlier on SCS.  Love this Winter Lodge dsp, the taffeta ribbon...and just a bit of dazzling diamonds.  Of course, the image is from Lovely as a Tree.

I loved the VSN kids challenge to use felt!  I cannot believe I had these felt snowflakes for years...untouched...then I used them twice for the same VSN.  Hoarding can be a good thing!  Ha!  The card features blushing bride card stock and ribbon, baja breeze pattern paper, On Your Birthday sentiment in basic gray...and a fabulous glimmer brad.  Perfect for a January birthday!

I will be away from my stamping for a while as I celebrate Christmas and a wedding in the next 10 days.  Wonder if I'll experience withdrawal???

Have a Merry CHRISTmas!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Comfy & Cozy VSN!

Hello Stampin' Friends!

This weekend is Virtual Stamp Night over at Splitcoaststampers.  As much as i need to finish Christmas shopping, cards. etc, I am so happy to stamp a variety of cards.  I had a bridal shower today, 2 upcoming weddings, and several January & February birthdays.  Never a shortage of reasons to stamp, right?  I made 3 cards last night...and once I finish this post, I'll get right back to my stamps!

My first card was made for the sketch challenge, given to my friend Suzie at her bridal shower this morning.  I pulled out some retired DSP, which led me to a Christmas color palette.  But I used very little of it; just the chocolate chip pattern. I used the Big shot to cut out the scallop circle and dry emboss the garden green layer.  In looking for an image, I found this barely-used stamp from My Favorite Things.  (Can't remember the name, but it is from the popular Who's That Girl? series.)  The image was heat embossed, then colored with markers.  Now that I am done with my SU club, I will be using many other stamps!  The sentiment on the front is SU's Well Scripted.  The inside has a MFT "Clearly Sentimental" phrase.  A bit of sheer ribbon, some sponging and a punched heart finish it off.

The second VSN card called for a Cool Color palette of our choice, and I combined it with a recent SCS sketch challenge found here.  I had one couple in mind for this wedding card, but then this morning, the bride-to-be said her wedding theme is snowflakes.  Ta-dah!  My card base is wisteria wonder, with a layer of the same embossed with Plenty-of-Petals folder.  I used Serene Snowflakes to make my own pattern paper, using wisteria wonder, concord crush, pool party, and indigo island inks.  It needed some pop, so I layered with island indigo.  A small piece of concord crush dsp and some concord ribbon count for other layers.  The sentiment is from SU's "Trust God", on scallop oval and modern label punches.  The felt snowflake is long-retired from SU, but perfect with a polka dotted brad for this winter wedding card.  This is a FAT card...good thing it will be hand delivered!

My final card from last night is this quick one for a birthday.  The challenge was to use a quilt theme.  My card base is cherry cobbler.  I used a square punch with various patterns of Winter Lodge dsp, mounted on marina mist, then embossed with houndstooth folder. I added faux stitching with an early espresso marker.  The sentiment is from Happiest Birthday Wishes, punched with the extra large scallop circle.  Even my espresso ribbon is quilted!

Thanks for stopping by!  Time to stamp some more!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim
 

Color Challenge Meets Christmas

Hello Stampin' Friends!

It has been over a week since I blogged...it feels good to come back!  I still have LOTS of Christmas cards to make, so when I looked at recent color challenges on splitcoaststampers, I knew I needed to make something work for my stash.  This challenge "A Perfect White Night," caught my eye the week it was posted, but I have been busy with work.  Better late than never, I suppose!  Perfect plum, whisper white and night of navy...fabulous!

All products used here are from Stampin' Up.  My card base is navy, and I used my framelits in the big shot to cut out layers of plum and white.  The plum is also embossed with Plenty of Petals folder.  I used the "Come to Bethlehem" stamp set, stamping the main image in navy craft ink and silver pigment ink.  (I used my stamping spot for the navy and a sponge dauber for the silver, since the star is also part of the main stamp.)  I heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then sponged with sahara sand, plum and navy...and added a rhinestone to the star.  The sentiment is from the same stamp set, used with the modern label punch and dimensionals.  2 of my cards have ribbon...but I preferred the look without it this time.

Once again, I made a dozen...so I am getting closer to my goal of 120 cards.  Sadly, I am only halfway done!  Oh. My. Goodness!

Better start another batch!  See you soon!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim