Friday Mashup! Sketchy Regals!

Happy Friday, Stampin' Friends! Are you ready for another Friday Mashup?? Kasey gave us this nice, clean sketch with a rich color scheme...Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard, and Very Vanilla. I love the regals collection, so I knew I would have fun with this! Remember...you can do the sketch, use the colors, or mash them up together!!

I started with a vanilla base. I stamped this fatastic sentiment from the retiring set All Holidays. (Available on the Last Chance List only through June 30th by clicking here.) I actually used markers to color the different words, then stamped on vanilla, and mounted it on cherry cobbler. Both layers were rounded on the corners. I brought out Flight of the Butterfly and my coordinating punch. The sketch calls for a sentiment off the center panel, but I added some colored pearls. It felt a bit too plain, so I sponged the front, and added some cherry cobbler seam binding.

Hope you like it! But more than that,I hope you play along!! Check out the Friday Mashup, and use FM12 as a keyword on your gallery!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Dare to Cut Things Up!

Happy Wednesday, Friends! Time for another Color Dare challenge!! I don't know about the other design team members, but this one threw me for a loop! We are combining Peach Parfait, Real Red, and Pear Pizazz! Once again, all items used are from Stampin' Up!




Now, I gotta tell you...I RARELY use peach parfait! I seam to bring it out for challenges, but I don't gravitate toward it on my own. I decided almost right away to do something with a floral image, so I went with the 2-step stamp set Awash with Flowers. I like my square cards, and I began with a pear pizazz base, then added a peach parfait layer. The peach was texturized with the Backgrounds 1 Texturz plate in my big shot. Next I stamped my images with stazon black on whisper white, and added the challenge colors. I sponged a bit on the bottom as well... and somehow I came up with this cut-up image for my sketch. I like the stair-step look for the square shape. I stamped the entire square first, then cut it in 3 pieces, making sure I could line up the stems. Each piece was layered with real red. I added a strip of pattern paper from the almost-retired hostess level 1 pack. I used the Beautiful Wings embosslit and some basic pearls for my butterfly. The Friend stamp is from You're a Gem, finding it's way back to the IBC this July 1st! The small oval punch is retiring...found on the Last Chance List until June 30th. For my final fun detail...how 'bout that ribbon!? I could not decide which color ribbon to use (heaven knows I have a bunch!)...so I used my markers and colored my organza ribbon in this rainbow fashion. I really like how it turned out, and I know I'll be doing it again!!

Hope you play along with us this week! Check out http://colordare.blogspot.com and use keyword CD106 in your online gallery!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Graduation Cards

I made 3 graduation cards today, each for kids from different schools. Instead of the traditional cap and gown motif, I used the "Journey" stamp from Define Your Life, then worked around it. This stamp set is retiring at the end of the onth...and I can't decide if I am keeping it or not! Everything used on these cards is from Stampin' Up!

The first card is for my nephew. He is such a good kid! Excelled in academics and wrestling, and he is very respectful to his entire family. I believe he will do great in college and beyond! I wasn't sure what image to use, but since I used the journey stamp, my husband recommended this "Sail Away" stamp from the holiday mini. It is only available until the end of August, so make sure you get it! I stamped it with basic black on whisper white, then lightly sponged with retired bordering blue. I rounded the corners, and mounted it on basic gray. The striped ribbon is retired, but a perfect touch for the black and red school colors. Extra large silver brads and dimensionals add bulk, but I will be hand delivering this card tomorrow!

My next card is for the daughter of a staff member. Her school colors are back and gray, so I added lots of basic jewel rhinestones to perk it up. My large butterfly was cut from a retired pattern stack using the sizzix butterfly die, and I added lots of butterflies I had in my stash from the beautiful wings embosslit die. The white piece was a scrap, already embossed...save those scraps! Satin ribbon and retired elastic cord finish it off.

Finally, the youngest daughter of a long-time volunteer graduated. Her school colors are blue and white, so I decided to use some of my soon-to-retire Blueberry Crisp dsp, mounted on pacific point and very vanilla card stock. I stamped the grass from Inspired by Nature with crumb cake ink, and lightly sponged bashful blue in the sky. Another butterfly here, this one accented with a large antique brad and 2 basic pearls colored with my pacific point marker. I added some seam binding under the sentiment which is mounted on bashfu blue and pacific point.

Hope the kids like these cards...but odds are, they'll love the checks inside!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup!! Colorful Kids!

Happy Friday, everyone! It's time for a fun Mashup Challenge! Lesley came up with this week's challenge. Check out this great picture...aren't those colors delightful? This week, we get to:

• Make a card using Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, and Pacific Point


• Make a card with a kid theme


• Or Mash'em up to make a kid card with those colors!

Check out the Friday Mashup challenge blog to see the AMAZING DT entries! I feel like an amateur this week! LOL! http://www.fridaymashup.com

I decided to make this bright baby card. Now the picture is lousy, but my photographer, aka hubby, is in bed! I hope he can get a better picture in the morning!

So often, we use pastels for baby cards, but I like bold, bright colors for babies too! I decided to use my soon-to-retire Fun and Fast Notes. I stamped it in stazon black on whisper white, then colored it with my markers. I layered it with daffodil and turquoise. My larger layers of daffodil and white were embossed with the perfect polka dots impressions folder and the Big Shot. My ribbon is long-ago-retired...I hoard ribbon!! Takes me forever to finish a roll! LOL!

If you wanna get this cute stamp, and the other 7 that come with the set, check out my demo website by clicking here: http://kimpadan.stampinup.net

Lots of goodies are going away...you don't want to miss out!

In the meantime, play along with the Friday Mashup! Use keyword MU09 when you upload to your online gallery.

By the way, I am having lots of problems posting comments on blogger. Makes me sad! Please know thatI look at all of the challenge cards...to fun not to!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Stampin' Up Last Chance Lists!

Note: To see today's Color Dare Challenge, scroll down one post

It's June 1st, and that means Stampin' Up has just released a list of items that are going buh-bye!! Numerous stamp sets, lots of accesories, and a bunch of vinyl decor items will no longer e available.

So you better get 'em now!! Retiring stamp sets will be available until June 30th.

However, retiring accessories are only available while supplies last! So, if you want some, you can order it online by going to my site here: http://kimpadan.stampinup.net

Have fun shopping! I know I will!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Last Chance!

Well, every year at this time, Stampin' Up! puts out a list of stamp sets and accessories that are retiring June 30. This year, the list is LONG! Lots or ribbon is going buh-bye...I am sure new ones are on the horizon for the new IBC available July 1st. Lots of dsp is leaving...a bunch of stamps...some punches and big shot items...ink and other coloring tools.

I still have to review the list to see what I cannot live without. I am always sad to see ribbon go, so I have to find strength not to order ALL of it!

If you want to order anything now, just click on the last chance list picture over to the right and it will take you to a beautiful place where you can order beautiful things!


Inky {{{HUGS}}}