Bright Color Throwdown

  I am posting a card I made last Wednesday for the Sketch challenge on SCS, along with  the Color Throwdown for the week.  I am finally posting here; still getting acclimated to my blog again.  The first card I made used vanilla instead of white, and the sketch wasn't quite right.  (It was also combined with a recent SCS Inspiration challenge.)  So I made a second card which I am much happier with.  The colors definitely look brighter on white!  I used very old SU stamps - "Three Little Words" and "Define Your Life." The card base is the thick style of whisper white.  I used daffodil delight pattern paper for the large layer, and a strip of real red pattern paper (from an old hostess 6x6 stack!) for the narrow strip.  Using real red and pear pizzazz markers, I colored the tulip and stamped three times on the oval die cut.  A scrap of certainly celery is finally used up as a matte for the sentiment stamped in pear pizzazz. Red enamel hearts are the finishing elements.  Feels Like spring!  

Here's my other card, which I still haven't uploaded to my gallery yet.  I looked on the Inspiration site, and found this item with lots of red.  That's why I chose it for the color throwdown, but it just didn't work for me.  Not a bad card, just didn't feel like the best fit for the challenges.  The feathers weren't showing up enough, especially in the lighter yellow and green colors.  Great excuse to make that other card!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Natural Touch

  Hello Stamping Friends!

Check it out...my second post this week!  Ha!  I made THREE cards yesterday, already uploaded to my SCS gallery, and now I am here.  What's up?  Well, yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and as part of my Lenten commitments I am reducing my time on Facebook and cutting out silly computer games.  I want to create more cards, and stamp more consistently.  I am also going to read more, and pray more.  Whether or not I'll blog more is yet to be seen!



My first card is for the Clean & Simple challenge over at SCS, to use an element three times in a row.  Using a beloved and long-retired SU set, "Touch of Nature," I stamped three butterflies using smoky slate, wisteria wonder and elegant eggplant.  I stamped the foliage around the edge in crumb cake.  The greeting is from "On Your Birthday."  I never would have considered these colors together, but The Color Throwdown couldn't be ignore!  The stamped panel is on a dry embossed whisper white layer; I can't remember the name of the embossing folder.  I added gingham ribbon, but I really should stay away from bows!  I couldn't get it to lay right, especially for a picture.  LOL  All of this is on an elegant eggplant card base.












My next card is for Tuesday's Color Challenge at SCS, using granny apple green, so saffron, pool party, and melon mambo.  I don't have the new green, but used lucky limeade.  The flower is from "Touch of Nature" and the sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations"  I originally planned this for the # in a Row CAS challenge, but it's not very CAS.  I doodled and sponged the grass.  The butterfly was in my little bag of die cuts, and the enamel dots and seam binding are where I added the pool party.

Finally, yesterday's Sketch at SCS is great for using coordinating pattern paper.  My card features Venetian Romance dsp, which has a lot of pistachio pudding & crisp cantaloupe.  I am purging about half of my SU inks, and those two are on the cutting block.  Before they go, I am trying to use up card stock, ribbon, and dsp.  By the time I'm done, I'll either be thrilled I'm getting rid of it, or I'll decide to keep it anyway!  LOL  Once again, I used "Touch of Nature" and "On your Birthday" stamps.  Ruffled ribbon and enamel dots pull it all together.

That's it for today.  Tomorrow night is the SCS Mini Virtual Stamp Night, and I am hosting the first challenge!  I made samples for my cards, but I need to finish samples for Misti & Lee's challenges.  Hopefully, I'll post them all tomorrow night or Saturday.  Less Facebook, more stamping...this will be great!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Hello Spring?

Quick post today, because I almost forgot to post this card, and the blog deadline is looming upon me! 

Friday's Free 4 All Challenge on Splitcoaststampers was all about spring.  Many of us are longing for it, especially as we get ore snow!  I decided to check out the palette for the week on The Color Throwdown, and it is perfect for a springtime card! 








I chose crumb cake for my card base.  The main panel is some specialty paper from SU; white with embossed patterns, ready for sponging or brayering.  I sponged calypso coral ink all over it, then added wild wasabi to the edges which, of course, turned brown.  I wasn't thrilled, but I kept it.  The stamped images are from SU's "Hello Again" using calypso coral, wild wasabi, crumb cake, and marina mist ink on whisper white, matted in wasabi.  Marina mist satin ribbon and enamel dots finish it off.

It's a bit drab for spring, but as I said in my SCS gallery, early March is usually quite drab in central Illinois!  I'll probably use this palette again, though it won't be on time for the Link-Up.  It's just too pretty not to give it a second shot! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

First Blog Challenge Card of 2019

Hi Stamping Friends!

Like many in the blogosphere, I let my blog go into hibernation.  I looked at y list of posts, and there are 5 in the drafts.  I had a bit of a rough 2018, so many projects suffered a bit.

But I was stamping a fair amount, just not posting here.  In fact, last fall I was asked to join the Dirty Dozen on Splitcoaststampers!!  My term began in November and completes in April.  Because the Dirty Dozen projects are only available to Fan Club members, I can not post them here until months after my term.  By then, I might forget about it!  LOL

I also kept busy with Virtual Stamp Night duties; in fact we are prepping for the spring event now.

But last Friday, while looking at the MIXability challenge on SCS (be inspired by tin tile ceilings), I decided to search for an interesting color combo.  I have The Color Throwdown bookmarked, and saw a very tough palette staring me in the face! Of all the weeks to decide to look for a challenge not on SCS!  I needed a masculine birthday card, so I gave it a go.  This took forever!  Ha! 

My card base is basic gray.  I covered a card front-sized piece with aluminum foil, and ran it through my Big Shot with the chevron embossing folder.  I coated some portions with versamark, and heat embossed with copper powder.  I also added some gold pigment ink and embossed with clear powder.  Grabbing a Spectrum Noir alcohol ink purple marker (hey, it is a MIXED media challenge!)  I started coloring a portion of the card front, and thought Yuck.  That's when I decided to cut 4 tiles out of the card front so the purple would be random.  The chevrons were set up in alternating directions.  There wasn't enough purple, so I added the center circle.  All of the purple was coated with the gold pigment ink (which doesn't show) and heated with clear embossing powder.  As you can see, I also have a strip of cajun craze which is partially coated in copper embossing.  The sentiment is from SU's "Epic Celebration."

It was hard to photograph, so I took 2 angles.  I think this took me 2 hours to finish, compared to 15 minutes for the Free4All challenge to use our birthstone color!  I definitely need to get more comfortable with mixed media projects!  But at least, it inspired me to wake up my blog!  Hope to see you again soon!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Throwing Down some Fall Challenges

Hey Stamping friends...I'm back!

I had another lull in my stamping life, but was re-awakened by the recent "Falliday Fest" over at Splitcoaststampers.  I decided rather quickly not to worry about completing all of the challenges, so I could concentrate on making multiples.  I had hoped to combine with more palettes from The Color Throwdown, but I have just these two today.  I looked at the clock and thought, Yikes!  I better get these posted!

So, this week's palette is gorgeous!  I hope to make some additional cards using the new SU color, fresh fig.  But the purple in this card is mostly from old tissue paper.  One if the Falliday Fest challenges, hosted by my cyber friend Jeanette, asked us to recycle something in our project.  Crumbled tissue adds nice texture.  The stamped & embossed image, from SU's "Embrace Life," was actually found in my packet of very vanilla scraps...Yay!  All of this is on a cajun craze card base with a strip of always artichoke pattern paper.  The sentiment is from SU's "Tea Shoppe," stamped in fresh fig, punched with the modern label and adorned with cajun enamel dots.

Next, a Color Throwdown from a couple of week's ago combined with Ceal's FF challenge to use our acrylic blocks for stamping a background.  Super fun!  My card base is sahara sand, with a layer of pumpkin pie that has been embossed with the houndstooth folder.  After using my blocks to add sahara sand and pumpkin pie ink to my very vanilla piece, I added flowers from SU's "Of the Earth" in basic black, then mounted it on black and added thick twine.  My sentiment is from the same set, heat embossed with white on black.  I rarely do that, but I love the look!  I hope to create more similar cards with neutrals and one pop of color.

That's it for today, but I have a few posts started with completed Falliday Fest projects that I hope to share later this week.  Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Still Catching Up!

Happy Monday, Stamping Friends!

I have a couple of cards for the Color Throwdown today.  I initially planned to do more, and I may get a couple done today, but I want to get this post done before today's deadline.

I have a hard time with pastel palettes, and there have been several recently.  Perhaps if I dug in to complete them instead of ignore them, I'd be more comfortable by now!  LOL  As I looked at this week's colors I decided a baby girl card would be perfect.  In fact, a young couple in town has a new baby girl.  The circumstances are incredible.  They have lost 2 babies in infancy in the last 3 years.  But earlier this month, they were blessed with a precious baby through a private adoption!  I bought this stamp set from My Favorite Things, "My How You've Grown," before it retired, but it has sat unused.  So you know I had to use it for this card!  My card base is thick whisper white, with a layer of smoky slate, embossed with my hounds-tooth folder.  I added pleated blushing bride ribbon and seam binding in daffodil delight.  The image was colored with blender pens and markers using daffodil delight, smoky slate, blushing bride, and blush blossom inks, then matted in blushing bride.  A few enamel dots finish it off.  

Next, here's a card I intended to make during DTGD.  I had the stamp set, SU's "Summer By the Sea," on my table, and the bordering blue card base ready, but my mojo fizzled.  Nonetheless, I really like this palette, so I decided to put this together last night.  I had scraps of real red and so saffron on my table, and this sketch just happened unexpectedly.  Using my blender pens and some sponging, I colored the scene with bordering blue, so saffron, real red, smoky slate, always artichoke, and creamy caramel inks.  The sentiment is from  "Wetlands," on a scallop oval and popped up.  Enamel dots and bakers twine are the final touches.

I still have a lot of 2017 Color Throwdown challenges to complete for my personal goal, but I am determined to get them done!  I have been having fun with these color palettes, and realize (again) that color challenges are, by far, my favorite!  Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Daring and Colorful Week!

Hello Stamping Friends!

It has been a long time since I have been here. Thanks to the Dare to Get Dirty challenges on Splitcoaststampers, I am rediscovering some mojo!  I made all 5 of Saturday's challenges that day, but didn't stamp at all Sunday.  I have made a few cards each day since.  I am hoping to complete all of the challenges; something I have never done before.  In addition to DTGD challenges, I am using this week to catch up on a boatload of (late) birthday cards and color palettes from The Color Throwdown (my personal 2017 blog challenge).  I will also be working on sympathy and praying for you cards.  My stash needs a boost!  I had started this post on Saturday, with last week's challenge, but forgot to finish the post before the Monday challenge.  So, I decided to do this week's throwdown and add a big batch of other ones!  Now, in case you don't know, the DTGD challenges are just for Fan Club members, so I can't say what those challenges were.

This week's Color Throwdown is a subtle palette, perfect for a get well card. A friend of mine had surgery, and is having complications.  I thought  she could use a boost.  I used crumb cake, whisper white, and kiwi kiss, plus a touch of basic black.  The stamps used are SU's  "French Foliage" and a sentiment from Stampabilities.  Striped ribbon, enamel dots and the SU Urban Vine embossing folder add  texture.  

Next, the card for last week's Throwdown has yummy summer colors.  I pulled out one of my oldest stamp sets, SU "Fanciful Flowers."  After clear embossing, I sponged with rose red, pear pizzazz, and daffodil delight ink.The butterfly was in my stash of die cuts, in strawberry slush.  The sentiment is from "On Your Birthday."  An enamel dot and polka dot ribbon finish it off.

This card uses a mystery stamp.  One of my nieces gave it to me for Christmas. I had not used it, but my grand-daughters did back in February.  The package is gone; I only have the acetate cover.  Any way, I don't do fine detail coloring well, so I did a watercolor wash.  I just loved this palette for a summer bouquet!  My ink colors are real red, daffodil delight, pear pizzazz, and bermuda bay.  I added texture with dry embossing on the daffodil layer.  I(f I wasn't so busy making  so many cards, I think I would have heat embossed the image in black to make it crisper.  But that idea will wait for another day. The sentiment is from SU's "Wetlands," stamped on a decorative label.  Seam binding and enamel dots add the final touch.  

Now I have a fun card for my oldest great-niece.  She had her sweet 16 birthday recently.  Each year during DTGD and VSN week's, I always look through old supplies that I sadly ignore.  This Stamping Bella image was in a swap baggie with this luscious, shimmery pink paper and the textured paper I used with my scallop punch.  The chipboard numbers are years old; I coated them with versamark and melon mambo embossing powder.  Gumball green ribbon goes with the ink colors: gumball green, blushing bride, pink pirouette, and melon mambo.  The sentiment is from SU's "So Very" on a small oval.

Many people have this crazy bird set from Tim Holtz; I just bought it last month at the local Jo-Ann's.  It finally came out of the package!  I colored it very simply with markers in crushed curry, pacific point, and cherry cobbler.  The background is made with the accompanying Tim Holtz stencil.  I wanted my bird to say something, so I used a word bubble (reversed, so it faces his beak) with a greeting from SU's "Just Sayin'."  Enamel dots wrap it up.










Now for a non-birthday card.  I need cards to send to my guy friends, and this palette works well.  I used baja breeze, not quite navy, and whisper white card stock.  NQN, baja breeze, crumb cake, and kiwi kiss ink were used with SU's "Clockworks" to make my own dp, plus a greeting from "Whimsical Words."  Some striped ribbon and burlap trim add finishing texture.





Sometimes, a card design gets carried away.  This would be one of them!  Too many shapes, in my opinion!  Any way, on a night of navy base, I have a vintage wallpaper embossed layer of white.  I created a background with navy, blushing bride, and both gold ink and gold (messy!) glitter.  I cut it out with a SU framelit.  The image is colored with markers; a favorite from SU's "Forever Friends" and the sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations."  Various punches, pleated satin ribbon, and an enamel heart add to the busy design.





Another messy card is next...this one was fun!  I made my background on watercolor paper, using real reed, elegant eggplant, and daffodil delight inks.  My sentiment is from SU's "Happiest Birthday Wishes," colored with those same colors, plus pumpkin pie.  My purple flower is from an old swap.  I added non-SU gems, plus scrunched daffodil satin ribbon.

Finally, since I had my gold glitter out, I decided to complete this other Color Throwdown challenge.  I think I will be cleaning up glitter for months!  I made my background using tissue with gumball green and basic black, plus some gold.  The sentiment is from "Delightful Dozen" stamped over a blob from "Extreme Elements."  A touch of gold cord finishes it off.

Whew!  I have a few other DTGD cards completed. but they don't incorporate any color throwdowns.  I have quite a few more to do if I am going to catch up with my goal.  Could be fun to see how far I get!  Thanks for stopping by!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Throwing Down some Color, Baby!

Happy Monday, everyone!

I have a couple of cards today for The Color Throwdown blog.  I needed some baby cards, and these soft palettes were a great jumping off point.   I actually set up this post LAST week, thinking I'd get several cards done.  Nope, just one.  But today, I am adding the current challenge just barely before the link-up deadline.  A friend of mine is due to deliver a baby boy by c-section at the end of the month.  The fact that her card is already done is either very funny or downright scary!  I have been behind All. Stinkin'. Year!  Any way, I chose SU's set "Fox and Friends" to make some patterned paper.  The sentiment is long-retired "So Very," also from SU.  I used soft sky, so saffron, smokey slate, and baked brown sugar inks.  A very simple layout with the challenge colors made this a quick card.  Some enamel dots and bakers twine wrap it all up.

This is the first card I made for this post.  I am working on past challenges from The Color Throwdown, and #427 is from the end of January!  I opted for a stamp set that isn't typically my go-to for baby cards:  "Vintage Vogue."  My nephew and his wife just had a baby girl...this card was NOT made in advance!  They actually did not find out the baby's gender until birth.  Rare these days, but I love it!  I chose blushing bride, pool party, and peaar pizzazz inks. The focal point is made with SU's "Baby Prints," outlined with my pear pizzazz marker.  The ribbon is left over from a recent gift (I never throw ribbon away!) and the shimmer enamel dots are from The Paper Studio.  I popped up a sentiment from "Teeny Tiny Wishes" as the final detail.

That's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Colorful Birthdays

Hello Stamping Friends!

Today is a Monday, and very rainy, but I am not feeling down!  That's because it's the first "slow" day I have had in a while.  I've had recent days when I got very little done, but I had so much hanging over my head.  Not today.  

Unless you look at my long list of family members who STILL haven't received their birthday cards!  And so, I am returning to my goal to complete all of the 2017 challenges at The Color Throwdown to help spark my creativity.  (I'm going to post quickly for this week's deadline, then add details later.)  My picture stinks, but I managed to get this linked up on time!  I wish we had more sunshine to go with these pretty spring colors!  My card base is so saffron.  I embossed some certainly celery with the Cuttlebug stylized flower embossing folder.The flowers are from SU's long-retired "Beautiful Life" set, in certainly celery and sweet sugarplum.  I added saffron brads and suede cord I bought in the jewelry making aisle at the local Jo-Ann's. The sentiment is from "On Your Birthday" using a scalloped oval.

This next card is for the very first Color Throwdown of 2017.  I figured I better get a few more done, if I am ever going to catch up!  This is a very simple design:  basic black, whisper white, and melon mambo card stock.  The dsp was on my scrap table; something "Tea"  LOL.  It was from the kiwi kiss days!  I used my butterfly framelits to cut this beauty out, and added SU enamel dots and twine from Jo-Ann's.  The sentiment is from SU's "God's Blessings."   

That's it for tonight.  Now I have to clean up my mess so I can make a new one tomorrow!  

  

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Throwing Down Some Color

It has been MONTHS since I have blogged here!  No need to go into the reasons why, but I am happy to get things posted again!    Today I made a card using the most recent Color Throwdown blog challenge, along with a sketch from SCS.  I have other cards to post, but I want to hurry to make the ctd deadline...I'll edit soon!

For several years, I have set a goal to complete all of the challenges from a blog in that particular year, along with one of the weekly SCS challenges.  I decided on The Color Throwdown in January, but I did almost no stamping until March.  And then, it was largely in preparation for Virtual Stamp Night.  Well, today I am doing a bit of catching up...in the stamping and blogging departments.  I needed a sympathy card for a friend, and I really like these soft spring colors.  I paired them with the sketch posted last Wednesday on SCS.  My stamps are from SU's "Bliss" plus "Teeny Tiny Wishes."  I used crisp cantaloupe, so saffron, and pear pizzazz inks along with coordinating card stock.  Twill ribbon, an "Everyday Enchantment" SU brad and SU punches add the details.









Now, to some previous challenges.  I figure if I do 3 or 4 per week, I'll eventually catch up!  This is one of the first CTD challenges of the year.  I actually made this card last month...even mailed it then!  I didn't post, because I was wrapped up in VSN.  I really like the fact that these colors could work for feminine or masculine designs.  My grandson had a birthday last month, and I thought these SU "Extreme Elements" would work for his card.   The drum image and You Rock sentiment are from an old Inkadinkado set; can't remember the name of the set.  I used basic black, marina mist, and daffodil delight card stock and ink.  My diagonal stripe embossing folder goes with the sketch.  An "On Your Birthday" greeting stamped on an oval adds some contrast and enamel dots finish it off.




Here is another early challenge; but I just made this card yesterday!  I needed a (very) belated birthday card for my brother.  I threw this together quickly and started putting it in an envelope when I realized I needed a picture so I could post it.  My husband took the pic with the envelope! Ha!  I gave the card to my brother yesterday and just saw the pic today, so I'm stuck with it.  Good thing I used a vanilla envelope!  I used the very last of my riding hood red card stock, along with very vanilla and basic gray, then added crumb cake with ink.  The images are from SU's "Clockworks" and more "On Your Birthday" words show up today.  The embossing folder is from Darice, and the heavy twine was in the miscellaneous bin last weekend at Jo-Ann's.  Yay for bargains!

Well, it will take me a long time to catch up, and I'm going to be on the road when the new challenge is posted this week.  Nevertheless, I am ready to get back in the groove!  I may just start with posting cards I've already made...like those VSN  cards I mentioned.  We shall see!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim