Freshly Done! (Sort of...)

Happy New Year's Eve!!

So...my 2015 stamping goals were to complete all of the sketch challenges on SCS and Freshly Made Sketches.  Well, I achieved half of that... With hhis first card, I have completed ALL of the 2015 challenge from Freshly Made Sketches!  WooHoo!  It's been raining in SC for several days, so the pictures aren't great.  My husband placed some quilt batting on the ironing board for he back drop! 

I still needed Christmas cards, so I made 12 of these, using FMS#217.  I actually need even more cards, but I brought very few supplies down to my mom's house.  Plus, I helped her complete 3 dozen cards, plus a dozen thank you cards (below.)  So, in actuality, we made 60 cards in 3 days...which is a LOT for me!  The card stock and ink are baja breeze and not quite navy (plus whisper white.)  My image and sentiment are from long-retired-but-always-a-favorite "Miracle of Christmas."  We used a rotary cutter and sponging to distress the edges of the horizontal strip.  I dry embossed the NQN layer with the funky snowflake embossing folder.  Some silver metallic ribbon completes the look.

Next, I have a SCS sketch challenge.  I only did 35 of these this year, but that isn't too bad.  I was helping my mom make some CAS thank you cards, and decided to use this sketch for 2 of them.  I wanted to do more sketches, but that would have taken a lot more time, and we didn't have a great cutting tool.  (I should have packed my table top cutter...shucks.)  We used confetti cream for the card bases.  The DSP is retired "Deck the Halls" from SU.  We also used a bit of cherry cobbler card stock.  The sentiment is from "Thank You Kindly," punched in bravo burgundy and punched with the decorative label for most of the cards.  I really like how this set looks...it's a great way to use up lots of Designer Series Paper...and heaven knows I have a LOT to use!

So that's it for today...and for 2015.  I didn't quite reach my goal, but I came close.  Tomorrow (or Saturday) I will post my 2016 goals.  I think I know what my plans are...but I am still debating a few things.  Come back later to see what I picked!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim  

Christmas Batch

Hello Stamping Friends!!

Well, I have several cards today that I made before I left on vacation.  All of these have a Christmas theme.

The first card is a recent SCS sketch challenge.  I made  for the neighbors on our block, and my husband baked cookies for our annual neighbor gift.  The card base is old olive.  I added layers of Holly Jolly dsp and very vanilla. The sentiment is from SU's "Delightful Dozen."  I added bakers twine and non-SU gems, but it was too plain.  So I pulled out my stocking builder punch and more dsp to add the cute stocking.

Next is a card I made for Virtual Stamp Night, but had not uploaded yet.  It features the larger stocking builder die...it's huge!  I even placed my cuff low.  It's made with another retired Christmas pattern paper, but I am not sure which one.  The confetti white card base is 6x6 inches.  The sentiment ("Tags til Christmas") is stamped in cherry cobbler and popped up on a scallop circle.  Finally, some sweater trim finishes it off.

Finally, a card for regular mailing.  I made 12 of these.  The base is cherry cobbler.  I added indigo island pattern paper, along with some from "Festival of Prints."  My image and sentiment come together from "Rejoicing in Christmas." I stamped in indigo, then sponged crumb cake and pool party.  The star is stamped in crumb cake, with a silver brad added.  The entire panel is popped up with dimensionals.  

That's it for today!  I hope to post one more time this year!  

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Some Sketchy Birthdays

Hello Stamping Friends!

I am in South Carolina with my mom now, and will be here for another week.  I made some cards before I left, so I am updating my blog on this quiet-lazy-day-after-Christmas.  I doubt I will complete all of the SCS 2015 sketches, but this post includes a few more.

I made three birthday cards using the same paper, which made these quick and easy.  There was a recent color challenge to use bermuda bay, coastal cabana, and smoky slate.

I turned the first sketch on its side.  The swoosh of bermuda bay is dry embossed with a retired SU snowflake folder.  Both patterns of dsp are from SU's "Winter Frost."  The sentiment is from "On Your Birthday," placed on a scallop circle.  Metallic silver ribbon finishes it off.



The next one uses the same paper, but with rhinestones instead of ribbon.  The sentiment is from "Polka Dot Party," on a scallop circle.




Finally, I used coastal cabana ruffled ribbon as this card's highlight.  I also embossed the entire front.

That's it for today.  Hopefully, I will do some stamping this week with my mom!

   

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Wednesday Sketches on Monday Again

Hello Stampers!

I am busy catching up on cards for this year's goal:  complete all sketches from Splitcoaststampers and Freshly Made Sketches.  Today, I have two FMS challenges, which means I am caught up with just 3 more Wednesdays left in the year.  It's going to take a lot more for me to be caught up with the SCS sketches!  Hopefully more VSN cards will help with that.



First is this week's Freshly Made Sketch, combined with a Colour Me challenge from last month.  Not that I *need* to do all of the CMCC, but it's fun to try!

My card base is smoky slate.  I added a layer of "All is Calm" Christmas dsp.  I stamped the "Happiest Birthday Wishes" sentiment in Stazon jet black, but I see that my pewter embossing powder stuck to it when I embossed my Serene Snowflakes.  I actually like the effect!  The basic black is detailed with my scallop trim punch, then popped that layer up.  I added enamel dots from The Paper Studio.  Very quick and simple!








Now I have FMS#213, along with this recent Colour Me palette.  I started with an old olive base.  The very vanilla is embossed with the plenty-of-petals folder.  The horizontal strips are from a long-retired Simply Scrapin kit; I had to add some additional adhesive since their kinda old!  The colors work well for a traditional Christmas card...and I am WAY behind!  I think this card will be easy to duplicate (I generally make 12 of each design.)  The sentiment is from "Word Play."  I added some retired Christmas DSP for matting (can't remember the name) and candy dots for the last detail.

The challenge badges are not showing up where I place them.  Perhaps Blogger is telling me to stop combining so many challenges!!  Ha!  Never!

Have a great day!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Virtual Stamp Night: Square Edition

Happy Saturday Sunday, everyone!  Forgot to finish this post!

I have several more Virtual Stamp Night cards again today.  Each of these uses a square sketch challenge from some time this year on Splitcoast. I like square cards, but stayed away from them because of the odd size envelope and extra postage.  I could have adapted these to a regular A2 card, but wanted to honor the hostess' vision.  So here goes!

First, this card is for VSN "The Heart of Africa."  We were given a photo of Victoria Falls as our inspiration.   It actually measures 4-1/4 x 4-1/4 because I didn't have a full sheet of wisteria wonder.  I cut a large scallop circle of watercolor paper out with my sizzix die, and two other strips.  On the circle, I did a watercolor wash with pink pirouette, calypso coral, and wisteria wonder.  The larger strip has pool party and wisteria wonder, and the smaller strip just wisteria.  My sentiments are from "Blessings from Heaven" and "Thoughts and Prayers."  My angel is from "Angelic Joy" intentionally stamped so she barely shows up.  I added ruffled ribbon for the last detail.  This card is for a couple whose teenage daughter died suddenly because of meningitis.  So sad!

Next, I have a card for the "Mother Russia" challenge.  This time, the inspiration was an amazing Faberge Egg...in bright blue with gold and exquisite details.  Now,, I had this sketch badge saved, thinking it is from 2015...nope.  It is from August 2014!  Oh well. Had fun doing this anyway.  On a pacific point base, I have brushed gold and whisper white card stock.  I used the same angel as befor, this time embossing her in gold.  The sentiment is from Our Daily Bread Designs "Christmas Verses."  I embossed some gold and pacific point card stock with the vintage wallpaper folder, punched out with the 5-petal flower and added a gold brad and 2 ice rhinestone brads.  The ribbon is from a wedding favor...never let ribbon go to waste!

And now, we head to The Netherlands where they have blue Delft pottery.  Once again, I have a pacific point card, this time with brushed silver.  The extra large scallop circle was embossed with vintage wallpaper folder, after I added ink to the folder.  The large sentiment is another from ODBD "Christmas Verses."  I also used Teeny Tiny Wishes on the duo of punches, over some metallic silver ribbon.

Here's the last one for tonight:  Scottish Plaid.  I used a marina mist card base.  The plaid DSP is from a retired Christmas pack (something with a lodge?).  The sentiment is from Inkadinkado, stamped in cherry cobbler, matted on garden green.  No matter what I do, a few letters never stamp well...same spot. Grr.  I popped the panel with dimensionals and added candy dots.

Whew!  That's enough for today!  Time for bed!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Virtual Trip Around the World

Hello, and Happy Friday!!

It's time for Virtual Stamp Night!!  (Technically 2 nights) and I have a bunch of cards to post.  Our theme is "Around the World in 80 Days."  I hosted a challenge earlier this evening, plus I have cards for two other challenges that went live tonight.  As a hostess, I get a heads-up on the challenges.  This allows hostesses to make cards in advance, then watch the gallery for YOUR cards and make lots of comments!  I love sharing the gallery love!

My challenge takes us to the Tuscan hills of Italy.  I bought this fantastic image on Ebay; it's an old Inkadinkado image.  It is stamped in Stazon jet black on very vanilla, then colored with blender pens and sponged.  I used lots of colors:  always artichoke, more mustard, cherry cobbler, bravo burgundy, concord crush, crumb cake, soft suede, and rich razzleberry.  After tearing the edge, I layered it on suede, embossed with the wood grain folder, all on a razzleberry base.  The sentiment is from SU's  "Whimsical Words."  My accessories include candy dots and very old SU ribbon.

Next, I have a card featuring Tulips from Holland.  I bought several embossing folders by Darice this summer, but had not used them.  This one has a whole bunch of tulips, some raised, some indented.  Lots of fun and perfect for this challenge.  I colored the flowers with my blender pens, using gumball green, daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, and melon mambo.  The clouds are from SU's "Send Me Soaring," stamped in tempting turquoise.  The verse is from "Happiest Birthday Wishes" on a scallop circle with some pink gems.  All of this is layered on daffodil delight and tempting turquoise card stock.   (Grrr...Blogger isn't letting me move my card to the right...)



Finally for tonight, we have a Japanese and tea theme.  I also attempted to combine this with a recent SCS sketch challenge.  It doesn't look great, but it is done!  The stamps are from SU's "Tea Shoppe."  It is hard to see, but the black and the narrow white strip are dry embossed with another Darice folder.  I added candy dots and bakers twine.  The colors are tempting turquoise, basic black, whisper white, and real red.

I'll post more cards tomorrow.  You still have time to play along!  While the challenges are posted over two days, you have a full week to participate.  Hope you can join in the fun!



Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

A Few Fresh Sketches

Hello Again!

Two posts in one day...what's up with that?  Well, if I had my act together, I would have put a couple of cards in one post, but that didn't happen.  I did my farewell to the Colour Me challenge earlier, and now I am doing this week's Freshly Made Sketches challenge, plus last week's to help me catch up.  I'm getting very close to finishing my goal!

This first card is for the current FMS challenge, just barely on time.  I combined it with  CMCC99, just for a push to wrap up as many of those as I can before the end of the year.  I realize snowflakes are not pink and purple, but I thought these colors would still be cute with a snow theme.

My card base is thick whisper white.  I embossed regular whisper white with the Northern Flurries folder, then sponged perfect plum over the pattern.  I outlined the panel with my melon mambo marker.  Both sentiments are from "On Your Birthday," stamped in rose red and rich razzleberry.  I had a scrap of melon mambo dp for the pennant.I also stamped some "Serene Snowflakes" on the pennant.  Rich razzleberry satin ribbon and a string of basic rhinestones finish off this girly winter card.














While the next sketch shows a snowflake, I paired it with CMCC98 which has a more autumn palette.  I needed a masculine card quickly to send to one of my brothers-in-law.

The base is cherry cobbler, layered with soft suede and very vanilla that is embossed with the wood grain folder.  Scallop circle punches and markers accentuate the sentiment from SU's "Word Play."  Suede ribbon and candy dots are the final touches.

Whew!  Feels good to be blogging again!  Now I need to concentrate on this weekends Virtual Stamp Night samples (I'm hosting a challenge Friday night!)

Thanks for stopping by!



Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Colour Me Blue

Hello Stamping Friends!

 
It has been quite a while since I have posted.  Lots of non stamping things going on in my life these days.  My mom broke her hip in early November, and needed a partial hip replacement.  She lives in South Carolina, I live in Illinois.  My husband had two surgeries for kidney stones in November, so I couldn't rush down to see mom.  After Thanksgiving, my brother Mark & I went to SC for a few days to work around mom's house while she is in rehab.  Meanwhile, I was doing some writing and studying.  I had a column published in our diocesan newspaper, and I made my temporary profession as a Lay Dominican!  I realize that might not make sense to some of you, but it's a pretty big deal.  I'm quite excited about it!


So, when I got home from SC, I checked out some of my favorite blogs...and I saw the announcement that Colour Me...! is closing up shop.  BooHoo!  I found them last summer, and tried to do all of last year's challenges...came very close.  I did several this year too.  So I found my mojo under an exhausted pile of projects and made this wintry birthday card.  I am also submitting this for The Paper Players challenge "Let it Snow." 

I used the thick white card stock from SU for my base.  I generously sponged soft sky ink directly onto the front.  It's such a light color, I had to keep adding more ink.  This piece of glimmer paper already had the snowflake cut out from a previous project.  I trimmed it down, then popped it up with dimensionals.  The bakers twine is actually pool party...close enough.  The sentiment is from SU's "On Your Birthday" stamped in soft sky, punched with a scallop oval, and lightly sponged.  Clean and Simple...and sparkly!

I'm going to miss the gals at Colour Me, but I know that sometimes life takes us in different directions with new projects.  Since I saved badges from previous challenges, I may still try to finish them up. Last year I caught up by making Christmas cards with several unique colors! Stay tuned...


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim