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

Mashin' Up with Some Embellishments

Hello, and Happy Wednesday!

Here is my card for the Friday Mashup challenge.  I finished it earlier today, but nearly forgot to upload.  Sometimes, my brain is on overload!  The challenge was to use the Ombre technique and/or a cluster of embellishments.  I just had to Mash things up!

Recently, one of my aunt's fell and broke her wrist.  I wanted a bright card to cheer her up.  I used some "Irresistibly Yours" specialty paper, and brayered ink in certainly celery, pear pizzazz, and wild wasabi, then placed it on a garden green card base.  I LOVE green, especially in the summer! I added a strip of pear pizzazz twill ribbon (which is almost completely covered up!) The sentiment is from Stampabilities, mounted on basic black so it pops.  I had these Prima flowers from a swap years ago, and added some SU flower brads.  The design was heavy in the lower half, so I added lucky limeade bakers twine on top.





Next, I am going to quickly add 2 cards.

The first is for THREE challenges on SCS:  color, sketch, and Free4All, which was to make a graduation project. My sketch is slightly varied, wit circles instead of squares. The colors are blackberry bliss, wisteria wonder, and pool party.  LOVE!  I love nearly anything with purple tones, second only to green.  Sometimes, it's a tie!  LOL

My card base is blackberry bliss.  I added some wisteria wonder plus more Irresistibly Yours specialty paper, where I brayered colors again.  Some seam binding is used at the dividing line.  I used 4 stamp sets on this card:  "Tassel Time" (for the books,) "Pure Gumption" for the cap (the other was too large,) "Just Sayin'" for the woohoo word bubble, and "Word Perfect" for the greeting.

Finally, a Clean and Simple card for a sad occasion.  The card is simply in pool party, basic black, and whisper white.  I used SU's "Little Angel" and "So Sorry" stamps, plus a non-SU baby hands stamp.  A young couple here in town recently lost their baby.  He was born prematurely after a difficult pregnancy.  He lived outside the womb for 5 weeks.  I know how hard it is to bury your own child. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.  But this couple has tremendous faith, and has already given witness to the gift that their son is to them.  Very inspiring.  If you  are the praying  type, please keep this family in your prayers.

Sorry to end on a sad note.  But I guess as card makers, we know sometimes our craft is used to bring comfort to someone.  That is a blessing and a privilege, isn't it?  Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Back with the Colour Me Challenge!

Hello Stamping Friends!

I am back to post a few more Colour Me...! challenges.  I wanted to post these yesterday, but it took me longer than I expected to come up with a design for the current challenge...even though I instantly loved the palette!  So earthy...perfect for fall.  It rained all day yesterday; it's raining this morning.  If it was snow, we'd be a bit like Buffalo NY!  Fortunately, my husband still got decent pictures, despite the gloomy clouds.

I knew I wanted an early espresso card base, and it turns out I had this square one pre-cut and folded.  Everything else took a while!  I ended up with this luscious image from SU's "Day of Gratitude" which I colored with markers on very vanilla card stock.  I sponged the edges to warm things up.  The cajun craze layer is dry embossed with the "vine folder."  I can never remember it's actual name!  I wrapped soft suede ribbon around it, showing the plain side since the white polka dots didn't quite work with this palette.  The sentiment is from the same set, and I used the modern label and scallop oval punches (with cajun pattern paper) to highlight it. I really wanted something else, and I found these non-SU bronze gems in a stash of old supplies.  This is literally the last large one I had; perfect for the center.  The little ones were cut from the last row I have.  I think I need to find some more of these, because I love how they work with these colors!

Next, I am continuing my journey to complete all of the 2014 CMCC challenges.  This next card is not at all what I envisioned...but it's not too bad.  Soft color palettes are tricky for me, but I muddled through. 

The card base is pistachio pudding.  I placed a layer of blushing bride,embossed with the chevron folder, on top of the base.  The image panel is all done with SU's "Work of Art," which I FINALLY purchased!  I love how you can just stamp randomly and create something fun!  I used coral bakers twine and button as the embellishments.  I really wish I had placed the button on the other side to balance the coral.  Oh well.  One final note.  I intentionally cut the whisper white and blushing bride with uneven edges.  I wanted to mimic the random nature of the stamps.  Not sure if I like it...the jury is still out!  LOL

Finally today I have a fun card that was quick to make.  I figured the best way to make these blues and greens to work together was to do some blending.  Using SU's "Delicate Doilies," I stamped with versamerk on glossy white card stock, then heat embossed with clear powder.  I pulled out my brayer, and randomly coated the card stock with all four colors, overlapping a bit.  I love how the doilies look like snowflakes!  Then, to make sure each color stood out on its own, I used them for the other main elements: bermada bay card base, coastal cabana layer, tempting turquoise sentiment (From SU's "Field Flowers") and pacific point ribbon.  As you can see, I used the scallop circle punch, and some dimensionals!

I'll be traveling this week for Thanksgiving.  Hopefully, I will be able to post something again next Monday.  Have a great week!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Friday Mashup! Embossing Nature

It's Friday, and that means another Friday Mashup! This week we are challenged to make a card inspired by nature, or using embossing (heat or dry)...or combining both.

I need to make some sympathy cards, and I would much rather have them made in advance than feel the pressure to create them quickly. I love sunsets... I love flowers, and somehow, I think they work well together for a sympathy card. I took a piece of Presto Pattern Specialty paper and brayered over it with daffodil delight, pumpkin pie, tangerine tango, cajun craze, and rich razzleberry. I took my chocolate chip craft ink and clear embossing powder, with Inspired by Nature for my main image, stamping both the flowers and the grass. Gets me thinking about my cone flowers which will be coming up in the next few weeks. My sentiment is from Thoughts and Prayers, punched out with the large decorative label punch, and added some espresso brads. I lightly brayered razzleberry over it, then sponged a bit of cajun craze to blend it in with the main panel. Now, the words on this paper are a bit different, so I decided to strategically place my early espresso satin ribbon! I used stick strip to adhere the bow.

The color palette is a bit different...but I love vibrant sunsets with yellows oranges and violets! Now, if only the weather would actually warm up!!

Hope you play along with today's Friday Mashup! Can't wait to see what you create!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

I was Late for my Q!!

The ColourQ, that is!!

I just found another color challenge blog, and it caught my eye with this sophisticated color palette. I made my card on Saturday, and thought I had until midnight Sunday to upload with a chance to be "Queen." Well, I was wrong! Noon was the deadline...oh well. Not a biggie, I had fun making my card, and that is what matters!


The colors to be used are daffodil delight, kiwi kiss (retired) old olive and early espresso and whisper white...inspired by this table cloth. Many of the DT samples had flowers, so I decided to try something different. My nephew likes to skateboard, so I think he will like this!

I brayered ink on to my presto pattern specialty paper. Sadly my daffodil ink pad is MIA, so I used summer sun instead, then added kiwi and olive, with an extra sponging of olive in the corner. I stamped the Extreme Skateboarder with craft chocolate chip ink, and used clear embossing powder and my heat tool to emboss. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday, and I sponged it with kiwi and summer sun. The larger circle and the espresso layers are embossed with the square lattice folder...the circle is sponged with espresso ink. I punched out one modern label, then cut it in half, attaching with gold brads to opposite corners.

Looks like he's jumping off a cliff! Careful, James!!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Lots of Blues Just for You!

A few weeks ago, I went to Olympia Washington to visit some good stamping friends, and to share my testimony at a Respect Life event. We spent Sunday afternoon doing a lot of stamping, making a big mess! I brought some Night of Navy card stock with me to make some Christmas cards, but I created these instead to showoff some of the newer stamp sets! Gotta entice my friends to shop, right?

The first card was a quick...really quick...attempt at a brayered sky. Hmmm...my full moon is, well,blurred. But I love the silhouette images from Just Believe! I used a baja breeze card base and whisper white layer. The sky is baja breeze, not quite navy, and night of navy. The image is stamped in black, and I sponged some black on the bottom. The sentiment is stamped in not quite navy, punched out with the large oval punch. Silver brads, and non-SU ribbon were added to finish it off.




The next card uses the same colors, and the same stamp set...but the circle image gives a completely different look! I rounded my corners, so that it went well with the ovals and circles.










The final card was really fun to make! I pulled out the large medallion from Day of Gratitude. Instead of stamping in autumn colors, I decided to make a snowflake-type card. I inked up the stamp with retired Soft Sky, then "thumped" a Marina Mist marker over it...neat effect! Note the single rhinestone in the center. I layered it with Marina Mist dsp, and added some non-SU ribbon.

By the way...I have lots of ribbon. But my friend Kelly has even more...Far More!!!

Extreme Birthdays!

This weekend, I did more of the Dare to Get Dirty challenges on splitcoaststampers. I did not finish them all...but I think I got 25 out of 33 completed! Pretty good, huh?

Stampin' UP! has some cool silhouette stamps great for teens. I used the 2 that I have: Extreme Guitar and Extreme Snowboard. I got them both FREE last March during Sale-a-Bration, and now I wonder why I waited so long! I plan on getting the others...including Extreme Elements before the end of the year!

Because DTGD challenges are for Fan Club members only, I am not going to post the details. BUT you can sign up for a mere $25 for a full year!

Here is one card: I used Pacific Point for my card base, and a distressed pattern from the Blueberry Crisp DSP. I sponged just a touch of Baja Breeze in the lower right corner, and on the snowflake, cut out with my sizzlit die, which runs through the Big Shot. The Extreme Snowboarder is stamped in Pacific Point, and the sentiment is from On Your Birthday.



Now this next card is one of my favorites from the weekend! I had no idea what I was going to do...then the design kinda "happened." I used Night of Navy, Cajun Craze, and Very Vanilla card stock. I roughly brayered Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, and Cajun Craze ink over the main panel. Next, I used Night of Navy craft ink and clear embossing powder to highlight the Extreme Guitar image. I used retired stars and a retired sentiment on the "ticket" which I distressed as if it was in a teen's back pocket...then added Teeny Tiny Wishes. 2 brads in the corner finish it off. I have a teen nephew who loves classic rock...this will be for him!

Thanks for stopping by!
Inky {{{HUGS}}}

A Night at the Club

Well...my monthly stamping club!!! We met last night and had a great time as always! We started with graduation cards. I gave them basic black and whisper white...then each card was personalized with school colors. Forgive my stereotyping, but I let them choose between a "His" and "Her" card...but I won't know where these end up!



Both cards feature Happy Grad from the Summer Mini and Itty Bitty Background stamps. I added Extreme Guitar to the guy card and butterflies made with the Beautiful Wings embosslit die. I decided to use black craft ink and clear embossing powder for heat embossing on the sentiment and guitar guy.











The inside uses (sadly) long-retired sentiment stamps and a simple panel with the slit punch for a gift card. In the picture, I just used my business card for keynote speaking! LOL!!




The other card we made is far more elegant, and I am really pleased with how it turned out! We used some of the Presto Patterns Specialty paper, and brayered rose red ink over it to make that gorgeous background layer!! I then stamped Elements of Style in black, and stamped a tiny portion of the image on a circle from my Big Shot Circles die. By coloring that little bit, and popping it up with a dimensional;, we get the "Spotlight" technique. Cool, huh? Added some ribbon, sentiment on an oval...and it is hard to see, but we spritzed the background and image with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz! Love this sparkle!!

I need 15 of these for a demo swap THIS weekend! Oh My! I will be changing up the sketch just a bit so I don't run out of presto paper. Everyone needs some, right? ;-)

Gotta run...I have more cards to make!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}