Virtually Mashing Things Up

Hello again!

Today, I have all day to stamp!  Good thing, because I still need to finish some Christmas cards.  But first, I am posting a winter birthday card which is for the Friday Mashup challenge, and Lee's Winter Wildlife challenge at Virtual Stamp Night.

I must admit that I almost didn't do this challenge because of my feelings toward the "50 Shades off Gray" frenzy...but hey, I'm just making a card that happens to have a few shades of gray.  No biggie!  I realize, as I am typing, that I didn't include the embossing element for the Mashup.  But, I am mashing up the gray with a challenge to use a winter/arctic animal.

My card base is smoky slate.  I have had this wild, sparkly designer paper for years...it is either S.E.I. or DCWV, but I'm not sure which.  I thought it would be fun to use as a funky polar landscape or backdrop.  I added a scrap of silver glimmer paper.  The polar bear is from SU's "Zoo Review," stamped with smoky slate on whisper white, and punched out with the extra large scallop circle.  It is layered in a basic gray circle, cut with my Sizzix die.  The sentiment is from "Polka Dot Birthday," stamped in black.  Finally, I added some dazzling details to help ground the bear.




Lee says winter animals are cuddly.  That makes sense for bunnies, but I would not recommend cuddling up with a polar bear!

Thanks for coming by again!  Remember, you can participate in VSN until this Sunday, December 21st, 10 pm EST.  Join the fun!



Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim 

Virtually Cool and Colorful Cards

Hello Stamping Friends
2 posts in a row...WooHoo!

I made a couple more VSN cards on Saturday, and I am working on more today. I decided to pair them up with past SCS color challenges, so I can do them all this year.  2014 is almost over...so I better catch up!

This card is for Sabrina's "Get Your Skate On" and the winter palette for Color challenge #500.  The card base is lost lagoon.  I am so glad I bought this set, "Penguin Pleasantries" off of Ebay a while back.  I colored him with markers, and added a line to show where he had skated.  The image is layered on olive and cherry paper, then placed on a white layer, embossed with a cuttlebug snowflake folder.  Cherry quilted ribbon adds some bold contrast.  The greeting is from the same stamp set, and is matted on island indigo.  The non-SU green gems are from a friend; not sure of the brand.

Next, this is for Tammie's "Gotcha" challenge to include snowballs.  It is also for color challenge #501: coastal cabana, real red, and crumb cake.  My images were received in a swap, so I don't know the stamp company.  I colored with markers, and added some dazzling diamonds.  The greetings are from Teeny Tiny Wishes and the same penguin set as above.  I used my word window circle and scallop circle punches.  Some scraps of pattern paper in the challenge colors came in handy.  Ruffled ribbon adds a soft final touch.

Thanks for stopping by again.  I hope to post again tomorrow!

Remember, you can still participate in the winter VSN until 10 pm EST on Sunday Dec. 21st.  Check out the full list of Frozen challenges here.
Thanks for stopping by again!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Colour Me for Christmastime

Hello Stamping Friends!  Happy Sunday Monday!
I set this post up...badges and all...on Friday.  I had plans on making all of these cards Saturday to post Sunday.  That didn't happen!
But I did complete the current challenge.  I'll post it now for the deadline, and make the other cards later today.

I discovered the new Colour Me...! challenge blog this summer, and decided I would do each of the challenges of 2014.  I was cruising along fairly well for awhile, but then I fell even more behind then I started!  If I am going to get these done by the end of the month, I better get going!  LOL

So today, I have this week's challenge, which is perfect for my need to catch up on Christmas cards.  My card base is night of navy, and I used the "We Three Kings" set from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I kept the image simple; heat embossed with touches of silver.  I cut the main image out with the apothecary framelits.  My star was stamped directly on the card base at first, but the placement didn't work with the large main image.  Frankly, I had forgotten how hard it is to use this set on an A2 card, so I will remake it on a larger card base.  I added this pretty silver ribbon, with a bow.  I'll redo that in the next card too!  LOL

Next, I have 3 cards for past challenges.  CMCC#18 was for the 5th week of the month, so I could pick any 5 colors.  This was great for making a more detailed Christmas card.

I looked through packs of retired Christmas dsp, and found this VERY old paper.  I didn't buy it myself; a former SU demo gave it to me.  It features river rock, always artichoke, mellow moss, and purely pomegranate.  Wow...almost all retired colors!  But I am happy to use some of my stash.  The stamps are from Our Daily Bread Designs, "Angel," all stamped with always artichoke on very vanilla and sponged with river rock.  I added this luscious pomegranate satin ribbon and some tiny pearls.  I think I have enough of this paper left to make 3 more of these.

Here is CCMC#19, which is also perfect for Christmas, with this rich cherry cobbler option.  Hmmm...perhaps most color combos are "perfect" for Christmas!

I was inspired by the challenge badge, so I used sahara sand and a large heart framelit.  Both the image and greeting are from Our Daily Bread Designs "Joy to the World."  The dsp is from a retired pack of SU Vintage Christmas and I sponged sahara sand ink around the heart to contrast it from the greeting.  I added black brads and satin ribbon for contrast.  This was actually fairly quick to make, so I hope to make 5 more.  I was going to add a stamp that says "God is Love," but the font is too different.  So, I will likely add "tails" to my ribbon next time. 

The last one for today is CMCC#20.  This means I am done with all off the challenges that were posted before I found the blog!  The crushed curry threw me off a bit, in terms of a Christmas card...but I made it work!

I used the SU stamp set "First Christmas" for the manger and large star.  My card base is sahara sand, with a layer of midnight muse.  I stamped the manger on very vanilla card stock, then dry embossed the top half with a retired embossing folder.  I wanted a bit more color, so I sponged the crushed curry making a starry background.  My scripture greeting is from Our Daily Bread Designs, "Luke 2:11."  Midnight muse ribbon finishes it off.  I really like these colors for a non-traditional palette at Christmas time.

I hope to make more cards for the rest of the Colour Me...! challenges.  And hopefully, I'll post before next Monday!

Thanks for coming by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Brrrrrrrrrrrr! It's a Frozen Virtual Stamp Night!!

Hello, and Happy Friday!

Tonight is Virtual Stamp Night, and I am happy to be a challenge hostess again!



This weekend's theme is "Frozen" inspired by the hit movie.  But don't worry if you haven't seen it; the challenges will still make sense to you.

I am posting 2 cards tonight.  The first is for my challenge which went "live" at 6 pm Central time.  The second card is for a challenge that went "live" at 7 pm Central time.  I made the cards in advance as samples, but couldn't post them here until now.  Here we go!

First, my Virtual Stamp Night challenge "It's Frozen Down Under."  The challenge is to make a winter card with a summer twist...or a summer card with a winter twist.

I love Olaf from the movie, and his adorable dream of experiencing summer. I had planned on making a snowman with a beach hat...but my punch art stinks! Ha! So I opted for this large scene...like a dream "bubble" with a lovely beach...perhaps in Fiji!

My soft sky card base measures 5" x 5", and I added a layer of strawberry slush.  I cut out an extra large scallop circle with my Sizzix die and Big Shot, placed a large post-it down for a horizon line, and created my beach scene with a lot of sponging.  I opted for a sunset, using soft sky, crisp cantaloupe, calypso coral, and a hint of island indigo.  My sandy island is made with baked brown sugar, the ocean is island indigo, and the sun is made with tangerine tango.  My palm trees, colored with wild wasabi and baked brown sugar markers, are from an old set called "Marvels of Nature" from Innovative stamps. I superimposed this scene over a whisper white layer, lightly sponged with soft sky.  My snowman is from "Snow Much Fun," colored with soft sky, strawberry slush, basic gray, and pumpkin pie.  I cut him out and popped him up with dimensionals.  Almost forgot...the silver glimmer paper adds a fun shimmer.  The greeting is from "Full of Love."



Next, this card features the colors of raspberry ripple, pacific point, basic black, and metallic gold...all inspired by the character Anna from the movie.  She is truly heroic, much better than the more popular Elsa, so I was happy to join in the fun.

This is actually pretty simple.  Raspberry ripple card base with layers of basic black and pacific point, dry embossed with a snowflake folder.  I stamped "Serene Snowflakes" on whisper white, including a small ones in gold.  I sponged bordering blue in the background, because we weren't supposed to have too much white.  The greeting is from "Word Play," stamped on pacific point with versamark, and heat embossed with gold powder.  I used my large scallop punch and dimesionals to place it in the center.  The ribbon is from a pretty package I received a while back,  I never throw ribbon away!




I hope you can join us for the VSN challenges this weekend! You can play along and upload as late as December 21st!!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Mashin' Up for Christmas

Hello Friends!  It's another Wednesday...and I am trying to catch up on some card making!  I was busy last week with an area Christmas concert, and this week with an Advent mission for our county.  It feels good to sit down with my stamps again!

Today, I have a card for The Friday Mashup (just before the deadline again).  It also fits a recent color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  I have several color challenges to finish if I am going to make my goal of completing all of them for 2014!  The colors are lost lagoon, pear pizzazz, and silver.  This made the palette perfect for this Friday Mashup challenge to use silver or gold on a Christmas project.  Finally, I am submitting this for the ODBD Shining the Light challenge.

I knew right away that I wanted to make a Christmas card with these colors.  I had a brand new stamp in mind; but I could not find it.  Anywhere.  In fact, this fabulous new stamp, along with 2 others from the same company, are GONE!  I am convinced that the board they came on (they were unmounted rubber  Christmas stamps) got thrown away.  Either that, or they will show up in June.  At least I hope so! 

So, I had to regroup after my stampin' grieving...and decided to use these gorgeous stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I think they work well with the colors.  The image and greeting are both from the set "Luke 2:11."  My card base is lost lagoon with a layer of brushed silver under the main panel of whisper white.  I stamped the flower in Versamark and embossed with silver powder.  I used blender pens to color, and added one rhinestone to the center.  The greeting is stamped in lost lagoon, and it is mounted on pear pizzazz pattern paper.  I used my ticket corner punch on all of the layers, and added this pretty shimmery silver ribbon as the final detail.  This card is actually a CASE from one of my own cards made a few years ago.  Sorry for the shadows.  Another gloom December day; hard to get pictures!

I hope to make 3 or 5 more of these.  In addition to color challenges, I am desperately behind on Christmas cards!  Should be a busy week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Colour Me with a Snowy Mashup!

Hello Stamping Friends!  Happy Wednesday!

I have a quick card for 2 challenges.  The picture stinks, but hey the card is done!  LOL!  The Friday Mashup had us do a card with a weather theme and/or metallic embellishment.  It was due TODAY!  This week's Colour Me...! challenge is monochromatic using smoky slate.  This is definitely the soonest I participated in a CMCC after it gets posted!

Gosh, I wish my picture was better, but maybe I will have DH take a better pic tomorrow.  He is back on 2nd shift.  Any way, I made this card for one of my sisters-in-law.  Like me, she grew up in Illinois, but she moved to Florida years ago when my oldest brother got a job down there.  She misses the snow and hates the humidity.  Well, they recently moved to New Mexico, in an area of higher elevation, and she has seen some snow!  She is HAPPY!  I decided to make a card with snow and wind just for the occasion.

I have  a smoky slate card base, with a basic gray layer.  On whisper white, I stamped SU's "Serene Snowflakes" in silver and the swirls from Inkadinkado in versamark, then heat embossed everything.  The greeting is from "Polka Dot Party," punched with the extra large scallop circle.  I tried to outline with basic black...ick!  LOL  I used silver metallic ribbon and a ribbon slide.  I bought them just before they were retired...so glad Avery at The Friday Mashup gave me the nudge to open the package!  For one final detail, I used the corner rounder punch.

I want to add some COLOR!  Ha!  Those gals at Colour Me...! always get me with their monochromatic challenges!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim