More VSN!!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I have a few more cards for Virtual Stamp Night today.  There were 14 total challenges.  With the four I am posting, I have nine done; not sure if I will get to the other challenges.  I planned on it, but with Holy Week services and a conference next week, stamping ended on the back burner.  I will likely do the other challenges after I return, as a way of thanking my fellow hostesses.  So, a very quick post...I uploaded the pictures and set this aside again!  But I can't have them sit in my drafts any longer.

The first card is for my challenge, to create a card with a brayered sky.  I used daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, tangerine twist, and regal rose.  After getting one streak on the sun accidentally, I added others..not thrilled with the result.  I took this butterfly out of my baggie of die cuts.  The sentiment is from "Because I Care," stamped in rich razzleberry on so saffron dsp.  I added some taffeta ribbon also.  It's rare that I use regal rose, but I like it for my sunrise card!







Next, a card I made way in advance because I needed a sympathy card.  Sabrina's challenge was to "Brighten the Grey," by using just yellow with a grey card.  The image is from "Asian Artistry," colored with basic gray and daffodil delight markers.  I sponged smoky slate in the sky, and used my dauber to make the sun.  The dsp is from SU "Parker's Patterns." I added a Teeny Tiny Wish sentiment and some non-SU enamel dots.







The next card is for Merla's challenge, to use something new in our stash.  Well, I have this new "Going Global" stamp set, along with "Going Places" dsp, both from SU.  I think they will be very nice for masculine cards.  The corrugated paper is actually from a swap. Of course, I also have Teeny Tiny Wishes here.  The dsp calls for the new Dijon color, but I just used plain ol' more mustard.  ;-)  Looks nearly the same.







Finally, this fun card for Lisa's challenge, "A Sunny Boat Ride."  The card features the "Sail Away" single stamp, plus a fun sentiment from "Going Global."  Again, I used "Going Places" dsp, this time with patterns that feature lost lagoon.  Hard to tell, but I did use my Cuttlebug "Divine Swirls" embossing folder on the dsp.  I colored the image with blender pens and sponging, using sahara sand, lost lagoon, riding hood red, and more mustard.  Bakers twine finishes it off.

That's all I have today.  I actually need to make a birthday card for my 2 year old great-niece, whom we will be seeing tomorrow at the family Easter gathering.  If I'm lucky, I'll get a picture...and maybe post it before the end of April!  LOL

Have a great weekend!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

VSN... Here Comes the Sun!

Hello Stamping Friends!

I have been busy preparing samples for this weekend's Virtual Stamp Night over at Splitcoaststampers! Soooooo many fun challenges!  As a hostess, I get the list of challenges in advance, which allows me more time to comment on YOUR creations in the gallery!  There were 5 challenges tonight, and there will be 9 tomorrow!  But don't worry...you have until Sunday March 27th at 10 pm EST to upload your projects.

Here are my cards with quick descriptions so this isn't too long:

The first challenge was hosted by Melody:  Round & Round.  We were asked to include at least one circle.  I literally used just one, made from "Moonlight" dsp, because I liked the wavy lines.  My 2-step image is "Field Flowers," and the sentiment is from "On Your Birthday."  This is also for a color challenge:  hello honey, cherry cobbler and mossy meadow.





The next card is the only one I did "live" tonight.  Hosted by Brenda, this one had us use radial symmetry.  Took me a while to figure it out, but Brenda has some great links to help.  Plus, I love the samples other hostesses created!  My card has plum, celery, saffron, regal rose, and bashful blue.  The stamps are from "Kinda Eclectic."  Taffeta ribbon and an embossing folder from Darice are the fun extras.




Now, another spring card.  Sonja asked us to "Turn up the Heat," using a NEW heat technique.  I chose multi-colored heat embossing.  I never use my colored embossing powder...this gave me a reason to pull it out.  I love the result!  The flowers are from "Beautiful Life" and the sentiment is another "On Your Birthday."  I have a bashful blue base, with "Floral District" dsp.






Next, Angie invited us to a Sunshine Box challenge.  This means creating a project with items you might include in a crafty gift for a friend...things that would fit in a box, like primas and enamel dots.  My hedgehog image is from a swap years ago, and the dsp is a sale-a-Bration pattern that is almost gone from my stash. I used markers to color: creamy caramel, close to cocoa, lucky limeade, melon mambo, daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, and marina mist.  The word bubble features "Just Sayin'."


And finally, Misti asked us to make a card showing some activity we like to do on a sunny day.  How about just sitting and enjoying the warmth?  I am very pale, so I need some protection like this flower umbrella!  This hedgehog image is from the same swap.  The markers I used are basic gray, smoky slate, melon mambo, bashful blue, baja breeze, creamy caramel, lucky limeade, pumpkin pie, and summer sun.  The dsp is "Flirtatious," and the sentiment is from "Hello Again."

Be sure to check out these fun challenges!  You have a full week to upload your cards; Sunday March 27th (Easter) at 10 pm Eastern is the deadline.


Hope you can play along!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Free for All Friday...on Thursday??

Hello Stamping Friends!  Here is another post that I started quite some time ago.  Now I have to change the text!  LOL

One challenge that I don't do enough is the Free for All (F4A) on Splitcoaststampers.  It comes up on Fridays, which should be a good day to play, but inevitably I am catching up on work or something more pressing.  Well today I have not one, but two cards for two different challenges...one hosted by my stamping friend Dawn (dawnmercedes).

This first card is for last Friday's Free for All...and I even made it that day!  Alas, I didn't get a picture and then didn't get back to my blog.  I made two of these because my aunt has asked for some cards.  She lives in a nursing home with severe MS.  She wants to be able to keep in touch with friends and family.  I decided that I will be duplicating my Virtual Stamp Night cards too, so that she can have a stack before the end of the month.  The challenge was to have a yellow image.  I decided what a great way to prep for the "Here Comes the Sun" Virtual Stamp Night!  On a black card base, I added some "Beyond the Garden" dsp.  I cut out a tag with my Big Shot.  In honor of my daffodils which are so close to blooming, I used this long-retired set "Beautiful Life" using wild wasabi and daffodil delight ink.  The sentiment is from "Whimsical Words", stamped over a sun made with a sponge dauber.  I added some light sponging, including some bashful blue.  Scrunched up satin ribbon and enamel hearts from Avery Elle finish this off.


Next, I have a card for the challenge, "Going Postal," hosted by my sweet friend Dawn.  Dawn believes as I do...card makers are keeping the US Postal Service afloat!  LOL  This year, I have already mailed 91 cards (well, a couple were hand delivered.)  Admittedly, 27 were late Christmas cards that first week of January and 38 Valentines to wrap up my "Christmas" list.  But still, that means 26 other cards have Gone Postal from my home.  Not bad for the digital age, right?  This card was for one of my brothers-in-law.  The pattern paper was gifted from my friend Dawn, so it was fun to use for her challenge.  It goes perfectly with this poppy parade card base and ribbon.  The image is from "For the Birds" colored with markers (poppy, not quite navy, and more mustard) and mounted on more mustard.  I covered up the original sentiment with this one from "Happiest Birthday Wishes," cut out as a banner.

Now, maybe I am back in my blogging rhythm!   Thanks for coming by again!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

More Sympathy Cards

Today's cards are a series of cards involving no blog challenges.  The challenge has been that I have needed so many sympathy cards already this year.  In truth, perhaps I am just being more intentional...actually creating a card when I hear about a friend losing someone.  Three of these cards are for families at church, the other for a colleague who lives in another state.  I took card bases that were already cut and scored, then found odds and ends from my pile of papers I haven't put away yet.  The cards were made on several different days; I just happen to be posting them at once.

This first card is for a long-time friend from church whose father passed away.  My friend plays guitar at church, and a song we frequently sing is called"On Eagle's Wings."  I knew this set from Our Daily Bread Designs would be perfect.  My card base is early espresso; I added a layer of "Soho Subway" dsp.  I stamped the eagle with Stazon jet black, then used blender pens to color it: chocolate chip, soft suede, river rock, crushed curry.  I used a SU framelit to cut it out.  The sentiment is stamped in soft suede, and sponged with river rock.  I added candy dots to finish it off.

Next, I have a clean and simple card using all Stampin' Up products.  The base is smoky slate.  I used the flourish stamp from "Elements of Style," thee butterfly from "Bliss," and the sentiment from "Thoughts and Prayers."  Inks used are bermuda bay, lucky limeade, and calypso coral, stamped on whisper white and layered on bermuda bay. Bakers twine, candy dots, and a scallop oval add the final touches.

Finally, and even simpler card.  I had stamped the sentiment (SU's "So Sorry") on this piece of soft sky months ago, but didn't use it.  I needed something quickly, so I just added a layer of basic black and some "Sweet Sorbet" dsp to pull the colors together.  Again, I added bakers twine and candy dots...easy to use and easy to mail.

I actually had this post set up over a week ago with pictures and no text.  I have been awful about blogging; busy with regular work stuff.  I hope to finish another half completed post tonight.  Then it's time for Virtual Stamp Night!  I am hosting a challenge THIS Saturday, and I am busy making samples!  Hope to see you in the galleries!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim