More Colorful Cards!

Happy Friday!

Wednesday was the last day to submit projects for the Dare to Get Dirty challenges.  I have been stamping off and on, combining DTGD with previous challenges from The Color Throwdown.  I started this post on Monday, thinking I would get more done before the deadline.  3 of these cards were done by then, but I did 1 yesterday, and 1 today.  I figured I would start with the newest Color Throwdown, then add some from months ago.  I am determined to do all of the 2017 challenges!

In addition to the color challenge and a DTGD challenge (which I cannot specify), this card is also for yesterday's Way to Use It challenge to use a faux technique.  I chose faux mother of pearl; something I have never done, but it is super easy!  My card base is coastal cabana, with a layer of Flirtatious dsp.  To create the mother-of-pearl background, I dabbed metallic acrylic white paint from Folk Art on glossy white card stock.  After it dried, I generously sponged pink pirouette ink over it, then wiped off excess ink to highlight the shimmer.  I stamped flowers from "Fifth Avenue Floral" in wisteria wonder and pink pirouette, then fussy cut them.  I added pink leaves made with my Sizzlit.  The sentiment is from "Sincere Salutations" on a decorative label, outlined in coastal cabana.  Ruffled ribbon adds a soft touch. 

This card is for a great-niece who has just turned one year old.  She is soooo cute.  Of course, I am biased!  I thought this palette (from February...can you tell?) would be cute for her.  The card base is chocolate chip, with a layer of pink pirouette pattern paper. The kitten is from Paper Smooches "Chubby Chums."  My sentiments are both SU:  "Teeny Tiny Wishes" and "Well Scripted."  I used my extra large scallop circle die, heart punch, and word label punch, plus my fluttering hearts embosslit die.  Ink colors are stazon jet black, creamy caramel, blushing bride, and real red.  Some sheer polka dot ribbon (from a swap) wraps it all up.  

Not sure what I think of this next card, but at least it's done!  The card base is basic black with a layer of dusty durango (surely, my last piece!)  I used SU stamps, "By the Tide," "Kinda Eclectic," and "Word Play."  After coloring the fish with tempting turquoise, summer sun, and dusty durango markers, I coated it with a versamarker and clear powder, then heat embossed.  The embellishments are tangerine tango striped ribbon, and non-SU shimmery enamel dots.  My fish looks a bit out of sorts, doesn't he?  LOL  

This past weekend, the mother of a dear friend lost her battle with cancer.  I wanted a card that would be easy to mail, but still have a lot of interest.  The card base is baja breeze, and I matted the main panel with chocolate chip.  The watercolor background took much longer than I expected!  I saturated my paper with water, then dabbed it with distress inks: dried marigold, stormy sky, frayed burlap, forest moss, and vintage photo.  After a few colors, I dried it with my heat tool.  I also splattered plain water, as well as diluted baja breeze and mellow moss inks.  After that layer dried, I stamped the leaves from SU's "Kinda Eclectic" in versamark, and heat embossed with copper.  It's my new favorite detail!  The main verse is from Our Daily Bread Designs, Scripture Series 3, stamped and embossed over baja breeze leaves.  The other sentiment is from the always-popular "Thoughts and Prayers" from SU.  The last detail is simple seam binding.  This is a larger card, measuring 5 x 7.

My last card today involves a very tricky color palette.  The pale green threw me for a loop, especially with the mustard tone, but I am happy with the result.  It uses this week's SCS sketch challenge.  My card base is rich razzleberry, with a layer of SU Venetian Romance dsp.  I stamped butterflies from "Kinda Eclectic" with razzleberry and pistachio pudding ink on very vanilla, then sponged with delightful dijon. The horizontal strip of delightful dijon is dry embossed with the chevron folder.  I colored the smallest flower from "Inspired by Nature" with markers in chocolate chip, delightful dijon, and garden green. The grass is made with pistachio and garden green.  Both stamped panels are outlined with markers to give an illusion of another layer.  Embosslit butterflies and enamel dots finish it off.

Now, it's time to clean up my VERY messy table!  If I had cleaned it completely before DTGD, I probably would have completed the challenges on time!  LOL   But I don't feel bad about this; I made - and mailed - more cards in the last 2 weeks than in the previous 3 months.  Back on the right track!

Hope to stay on track, too.  Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

More Daring Cards!

Happy Saturday!

Feels kinda weird posting again...but it feels good, too!  I'm still working on Dare to Get Dirty challenges.  My pace has been slow, despite hubby working loads of overtime last week. The good news is that I have until Wednesday at midnight to play along.  Today, I'm posting several cards that do not incorporate other challenges.  I'm still catching up on birthday cards!

I had several strips of this beautiful designer paper which I used for some recent sympathy cards.  I taped them onto a piece of card stock, then ran it through the Big Shot with the top note die.  It is layered on embossed early espresso on a crumb cake card base.  My sentiment is from "Happiest Birthday Wishes" in more mustard.  I added some punched out branches, an old felt flower with a brad, and some thick backers twine.












Next, a cute card for one of my great-nieces.  The image is from Paper Smooches, "Chubby Chums."  There was a coordinating sentiment, but I think it fell into the garbage a while back, because it is nowhere to be found.  Fortunately, SU had a chicken-themed set recently, so I can still say Hey Chick!  The pattern paper is years old, from DCWV...I think its called Granny's Kids.  I colored with markers, doodled a bit, and sponged the large scallop circle.  Satin ribbon in tangelo twist wraps it all up.











A little over a year ago, I bought this retiring lace ribbon from SU in all of the outgoing in-colors (that sounds strange!) because I *needed* them.  Well, I have barely touched them!  Ribbon hoarding us a thing, people!  Well, as I created this summer birthday card, my watermelon stamp needed watermelon wonder ink and ribbon.  Pairing that with cucumber crush and basic black make this bright and simple.  The stamps used are all SU:  Mouthwatering, Polka Dot Party, and On Your Birthday.

Now a card that ended up quite different than planned.  Let's just say that I made some errors in cutting, so I had to be strategic in my layers!  Even so, I like the final result.  My card base is delightful dijon, and I used more of that lace ribbon!  My vanilla layer is dry embossed with the honeycomb folder, then sponged.  I also added a layer of black.  The image is from SU's "Every Moment," colored with markers and mounted on always artichoke pattern paper.  I used raspberry ripple pattern paper to mount the two sentiments from "On Your Birthday" and "You're a Gem."

A simple beach scene is next, using soft sky, crumb cake, and very vanilla card stock.  I sponged soft sky, baja breeze, and crumb cake on this layer cut with a labels framelit.  For texture, I added dazzling diamonds and mica flakes to the sand.  The palm tree is from Lawn Fawn's "Life is Good."  The birthday sentiment is from "Wetlands."  I added bakers twine and enamel dots.

Now for a completely different look:  faux metal.  After sponging crumb cake and black on this very vanilla (and using a Tim Holtz embossing folder for the gears), I put lots of versamark all over it, and coated it with copper embossing powder. It really shines when it hits the light! The sentiment, from "Happiest Birthday Wishes" is also copper embossed, on SU brushed silver card stock.  (I have just a few sheets left.  I miss it!)  Large brads from Spare Parts and some copper thread are the final details.  I have a nephew-in-law who is a welder, so making something like this seemed perfect for him.

Finally today I have another masculine card with a touch of copper embossing and loads of Tm Holtz washi tape.  I RARELY use washi tape, but this was a fun, quick card.  I will likely use this idea for other occasions.  Maybe I'll actually use the washi tape in my stash!

That's it for now...time to eat dinner.  Then, hopefully I will get one or two cards made tonight. Tomorrow, I plan on commenting on some blogs and DTGD gallery entries. Should be a relaxing day!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim 

Birthday Birds

Hello once again!

Today I have two birthday cards that incorporate ZERO challenges!  Gasp!  Sometimes, I just need to look at raw material and let my brain kick in on its own.  I needed a card for a nephew-almost-in-law and for one of my brothers.  Here we go...

I had my package of SU "Soho Subway" dsp out; most of the patterns challenge me a lot.  But this one looks more earthy with greens and blues and a wood grain, distressed look, perfect for an early espresso card base.  I thought it would look nice with this image from SU "Wetlands."  I used more of the dsp to mat the image, after I colored it with my blender pens using crumb cake, early espresso, garden green, summer starfruit, and island indigo.  The sun was made simply witha sponge dauber.  I added a strip of burlap for texture.  The sentiment is from the same set, punched and sponged as I usually do.  Finally, candy dots were added to complete the look.

Next, I used the other half of that early espresso, and a reverse side of the gridline dsp (from the mat), which features these fun numbers.  Another pattern featuring summer starfruit is used in the center.  My sentiment is from "Just Sayin'" and the owl is from Paper Smooches, with a coordinating framelit.  I colored him with markers: early espresso, soft suede, river rock, summer starfruit, and island indigo. Candy dots and thick bakers twine finish it off.

That's it!  Quick post when I don't have to include any links!  I think it's fun that I used thee same card stock and dsp, but the cards are very different.  Hope the guys like them too!  Let me know what you think.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Some Different Challenges

Hello, and Happy Friday!

Today I have cards for 3 different blog challenges that fit specific card needs I had.  The first is from The Paper Players, which I need to link up in the next few minutes!

Several weeks ago, Splitcoast had a color challenge of black/white & red.  I had a few ideas, but never put them together.  Then, this Paper Player theme challenge to use a dog or cat came along and I decided to put them together.

I am a Lay Dominican, and Dominicans (friars and sisters) are known for their black & white habits.  As a layperson, I don't wear a habit, but I received a pin which is black and white when I said my temporary profession.  Anyway, one of our chapter's longtime members recently moved to Texas.  He is an older man who told delightful stories at all of our monthly meetings.  Our group is just a bit different without him.  Why the dog?  One of the symbols for St. Dominic is a black dog, running with a torch in its mouth  (to set the world on fire with the Gospel.)  I wanted to do a torch, but it didn't work with this puppy.

I dry embossed the black & white card front with this cute paw print folder from Darice.  My image is from PaperSmooches "Cuddly Chums," stamped in black and colored with basic gray, smoky slate and real red markers, then popped up on a scallop circle.  The sentiment is from SU's "Just Sayin'" with the coordinating Word Bubble framelit.  Red candy dots finish it off.

Next, I have a Clean and Simple design using the palette from this week's ColourQ challenge.  I am also submitting it to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge...my first time posting there!  I found it through someone else's blog.  You know how that goes.  Anyway, this week they are asking for a one layer card!  WooHoo! They are also featuring Paper Smooches this wek, which aren't used in this card, but in the one above.  I love that I found this challenge today!  I actually made several attempts before coming up with this card.  You see, I never finished my Christmas cards, so I am sending Valentines to some friends who didn't get Christmas greetings.  I tried to combine a Christmas image with the colors, but I kept making a mess with the gold embossing powder.  I finally decided less is more!   I used the thick SU whisper white for a single layer card.  Using the challenge colors and "Work of Art," I created a simple abstract background.  The sentiment is from "Trust God," embossed in gold and on a scallop oval.  I added gold cord behind it...which made it a real trick to adhere!  LOL I am going to make a dozen tonight, simplifying the gold detail and give them to a few friends at church this weekend.  Just wanted a different take on Valentine's Day!

Thanks for coming by...I'd love to read your comments below!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Non-Challenge Cards...Gasp!

Hello, and Happy Monday!

Once again, I had a week with very little stamping.  Why?  Because my craft room has been a MESS!  Ha!  I found myself in a rut, barely touching the mess, and unable to create anything (stamping or writing) for days.  The good news is, I have gotten a good start on reclaiming this room.  We'll see how long that lasts!
In spite of the heaps of ribbon scraps and uncleaned stamps, I did have to create 2 cards over the weekend.  I made one Saturday morning...finishing it just before heading out the door...and another one Saturday night...finishing it just before bed.  Both were made on a tiny corner of my table, as I shoved the heap aside!  (I know many of you crafters can relate!)

Here is the evening creation.  I had recently sent my pastor a thank you card for a birthday gift.  I have given him several cards in the past.  He was visiting his parents last week, and told them about the cards I make.  His mom asked if I could make a birthday card for her friend.  I agreed to, and was told the woman likes green.  Her birthday is coming up soon, so I needed to make a card by Sunday to give it to Father Nelson.  I do well with deadlines!

The card base is handsome hunter.  I added a layer of Irresistibly Yours dsp, sponging generously in garden green, wild wasabi, certainly celery, baja breeze, and daffodil delight.  I added a strip of striped wasabi ribbon.  My stamped leaves and flowers on the scalloped circle are from SU's "Best Blossoms" in wild wasabi and melon mambo, with a bit of baja breeze for more sky, then mounted on a wasabi circle from my Sizzix circle die.  Finally, I added the sentiment from "Teeny Tiny Wishes" with the word window punch.

Next is the birthday card I made in the morning...actually early afternoon.  Crazy thing is, I had some ideas for this card that would have worked for a DTGD challenge, but it just never came together.  But with the deadline looming, I kicked into full gear! BARELY on time.  So late in fact, that we didn't get a picture before we left the house.  

Solution?  Get a picture with the recipient and her mommy!  This is my beautiful niece Pam and her daughter Olivia, who turned one earlier this month!  Isn't she a doll? (Both of them are beautiful!) The party had a farm theme, so I chose to feature the pig and cow stamps from SU's "Very Punny" and the cow image from Paper Smooches "Chubby Chums."  The sentiment actually says "SMooches".  How cute is that?  I had NO idea how perfect the match would be until we showed up at the party!  I chose a basic black, melon mambo, and white color scheme, plus two different polka dot ribbons, and scalloped punches.  It was meant to be!

The picture with the card was taken late in the day after l'il Miss Olivia changed clothes...but check out how adorable she is in her special outfit!  Call me biased, but she's adorable in anything!

So...no blog challenges with these cards.  Just deadlines.  And the challenge of a messy room!  That's plenty, dontcha think?
Thanks for stopping by!



Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Virtual Stamp Night: I Treasure You!

Hello, and Happy Saturday!

Last night, I made a BIG and fun mess, creating cards for Virtual Stamp Night!  The over arching theme is "I Treasure You."  I am posting the first 4 challenges here in this post, and will share the other 6 (if I get them all done) tomorrow.  I also combined some of these challenges with the Friday Mashup 200th challenge celebration.  YOU can still play along, and try to win prizes!

The first challenge was to CASE a Treasured Hostess...Tammie E.  Here is the card I selected.  Tammie is incredibly talented, and famous for her coloring.  Me, not so much!  LOL  I kept the sketch, and used a much simpler image, who is also ice skating.  I chose FM45 (penguins) and FM36 (colors baja breeze, blushing bride, and basic gray) to mash up.  My stamps are Serene Snowflakes, Penguin Pleasantries, and Teeny Tiny Wishes.












The second challenge was one that I hosted...woohoo!  I thought of a Scavenger Hunt, so I gave everyone 6 things that needed to be included in their project.  Check out the details here. My card includes images from a brand new stamp set (for me) called "Life is Good" from Lawn Fawn.

The third challenge is about treasuring our furry friends.  I don't have any pets, but I do love this Chubby Chums set from Paper Smooches.  Once again, I combined 2 Friday Mashups...the sketch found at FM180 and the birthday theme, plus twine at FM142.  This card, featuring pretty in pink, wisteria wonder, and lucky limeade.

Finally, here is a VSN card that asked us to use spotlighting.  I also found a spotlight challenge from Friday Mashup...FM45, plus FM01 that featured butterflies.  My card features SU's Swallowtail in baked brown sugar, with some areas colored with pumpkin pie and bermuda bay.



Be sure to join us at The Friday Mashup...there are LOTS of prizes being given away!  Be sure to comment on the DT cards, and upload your card to the InLinkz.  Get all the details HERE.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Mooooooo-sh Up!

Hello, and Happy Wednesday!

Today, I am posting a card that I started days ago.  I was trying the Technique Lovers Challenge from SCS (which was also a Friday Mashup challenge recently, but one that I missed), and wasn't thrilled with it.  But it is nearly the deadline for the Friday Mashup, so I quickly made the rest of the card to post.

The TLC was to use embossing folder stamping, and a tutorial can be found here. The Friday Mashup asked us to use red. pink, and white...with a love theme.  Easy enough, right?

Well, my background is a bit messy and the shimmer still comes off on my fingers, days later.  Yikes!  I need to figure something else out next time.

I used sponge daubers to add real red and strawberry slush ink to my Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder.  Instead of plain water, I sprayed my water/shimmer paint/alcohol mix on to the folder, then pressed a piece of watercolor paper onto the ink.  Unfortunately, my mister was not giving me a fine spray...it was more like big drops of water.  What a mess!  It took a long time for the paper to dry, and the hearts are barely distinguishable.  Oh well.  I intended to try again, but had other things (work stuff!) going on.  Any who, I added this cute sentiment from the "Chubby Chums" set, stamped in Stazon jet black.  I stamped the cow onto very vanilla, punched him out with the large scallop circle, and added just a bit of color.  After wrapping ruffled ribbon around the background, I popped up my cow with dimensionals and placed it all on a real red card base.  The black enamel hearts are from Anna Marie, purchased online at a scrap book site.  

I think the card turned out okay, all things considered.  But now I have shimmer stuff on my fingers...and my keyboard!  LOL

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky (and shimmery) {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Happy Anniversary, Paper Smooches!

Hello, and Happy Monday!!

I set this post up LAST Monday...good grief!  Any who, I am excited to celebrate the Paper Smooches 4th Anniversary!  I was unfamiliar with this company, but then I won a gift certificate last fall from Hope You Can Cling To over at Splitcoaststampers.  I bought some goodies for Christmas, and I am having FUN with them!  I wanted to have 2 cards tonight, but I have to wait for some background paper to dry.  So, just one card in this post.  I have made other cards featuring Paper Smooches that you can see HERE, HERE, and HERE.

My card is for the ColourQ challenge, along with the 2nd VSN Mini challenge, which was to incorporate a critter from the children's program "Little Bear."  I chose a cat.  I rarely put pink and orange together, so this color challenge was initially tough for me.  But I figured the pumpkin pie would work well for this cute kitty!

My card base is pretty in pink.  I added a layer of whisper white with 2 strips of what looks like pattern paper.  But they are actually stickers from a scrap book kit that was a part of Sale-a-Bration several years ago!  Use that stash!!  My image panel includes this cat from Paper Smooches "Chubby Chums."  I colored her with my pumpkin pie and creamy caramel markers, and a touch of pretty in pink for her nose.  The sentiment is from the same set and I simply swooshed my melon mambo marker underneath, then layered it all on real red pattern paper.  The enamel hearts are from Anna Marie, and were purchased online at a scrapbook site.  My final touch is the melon mambo organza ribbon from SU.

I am seriously in love with these Chubby Chums!  If my other card dries on time, you will see an edited version of this post with another critter!

Thanks for stopping by!  

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

A Batch of Sketches and a Rainbow of Colors

TGIF!

Not sure why I am saying that...I am only working part time, and mostly from home, so most days are the same.  But I have been having fun playing with some challenges today.  I am continuing my 2015 focus on sketches.  I missed the Paper Players sketch, but this week's Friday Mashup has a sketch.  I also have the weekly sketches from SCS and Freshly Made Sketches.  Plus, I combined a color challenge with each one.  Whew!

This first card was LOTS of fun! I combined the Colour Me...! palette with FMS#171.  The stamped image and greeting are from Paper Smooches; more of my goodies that I chose with my gift card from the "Hope You Can Cling To" challenges last fall.

This is the first time I used tangelo twist card stock; it was still in my in-color sample pack.  I am not a big fan of orange, but this is actually very nice.  I added a layer of whisper white that is dry embossed with the fancy fan folder. For the vertical strips, I used a piece of indigo dsp from a SU holiday paper stack, a strip of long-retired razzleberry pattern paper, and then a strip of whisper white that I turned into my own pattern paper.  For that, I randomly stamped images from "Mixed Bunch."  I used my Sizzix scallop circles #2 die, then stamped the image and greeting from "Chubby Chums."  I colored the chickie with markers, and sponged indigo around the edges, then popped it up with dimensionals.  A few candy dots finish it off.  How cute is this little chick??  The entire stamp set is filled with adorable images!  A few years ago, I never would have tried these, but I am venturing more into whimsical, playful characters.  I think I have fallen in love with another stamp company...and I think my bank account is in jeopardy!

 Next, I have The Friday Mashup challenge paired with
The Color Throwdown (first time I have joined this one!)










I was debating between using summer starfruit and kiwi kiss for this one, and opted for the kiwi kiss because of this fun polka dot ribbon.  Plus, let's face it, kiwi kiss has been retired for a while...I need to finish it off!  LOL  I added a layer of concord crush pattern paper from the old hostess 6x6 pack.  The whisper white layer is embossed with the decorative dots folder.  My flower image is from SU's "Friends Never Fade."  I used markers to color it: tempting turquoise, concord crush, so saffron, and lucky limeade (no kiwi marker.)  I matted the pennant with more concord crush paper.  For a bit more of the so saffron, I doodled around the edge of the pennant with my marker, which is very hard to see in the picture.  The small greeting by the flower is from "You're a Gem," and I added one from "Teeny Tiny Wishes" also, punched out with the word window.  My accessories are the polka dot ribbon, a bright turquoise button, and some limeade bakers twine.

Finally, I have a card pairing up this week's color challenge and sketch challenge from SCS.  I had already participated in the color challenge, with a minor error.  The colors are real red, early espresso and crumb cake.  Well, with espresso and crumb cake, my brain went to cherry cobbler.  In fact, as I was getting ready to try again, I almost used cherry cobbler again!  Any way, I made this quick card. I'm not thrilled with it, especially compared to the other two...but it's done.

My card base is early espresso.  The next layer is confetti white.  I love this stuff for some things, but it is difficult to stamp on it cleanly.  My big sentiment is from Inkadinkado.  I think it is perfect for a Valentine.  For the horizontal layer, I decided to finally open up my spool of burlap, leaving the edges a little rough.  I also opened the spool of early espresso taffeta ribbon...because of course, I don't have enough spools of ribbon in use already (*sarcasm*).  Oh well! Using my heart punch and heart-to-heart punches and some pattern paper in real red and crumb cake, I added simple final touches.




Well, I had lots of fun with these.  I hope you enjoy them...and I hope you have time to play along with some of these challenges too!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

More Challenge Cards

Hey there!  My second post in one day!

I could save this for tomorrow, but I don't want to forget to link up for The Paper Players challenge.  I have a very quick card for PP228, plus last week's Colour Me...! challenge.  It also fits a recent Clean and Simple challenge on SCS.

I embossed a piece of real red with the SU Elegant Lines folder, and wrapped striped pacific point ribbon around it before placing it on the pacific point card base.  My sentiment is from SU "My Friend."  I added red brads, and outlined the whisper white with my pacific point marker.  I wanted something else, so I used my white gel pen to color in some of the circles and flowers.  It looks better in real life...but I probably would not do it again!  LOL  I do like the "striking" color palette...it feels Happy!

Next, I have a card for the current Colour Me...! challenge, along with the first Ways to Use It challenge of 2015 from SCS.  The WT challenge was to use something NEW from our stamping stash.  Now, since I have so many OLD things, it was a bit ironic for me.  However, I won a Gift Certificate from Paper Smooches during the recent Hope You Can Cling To challenges!  I knew I wanted to play with my new toys, and I finally did today.

The card base is SU confetti white.  I added a layer of hello honey, with a bit of cajun craze scallop trim.  On whisper white, I stamped this branch in soft suede and leaves from the Paper Smooches set "Hooties."  I colored the open leaves with markers, and lightly sponged soft sky.  This fun owl was stamped in Stazon jet black separately, and colored with soft suede, hello honey, and soft suede.  Initially i used a blender pen for the cajun, then I pulled out my marker to touch it up.  It is so much darker, but I think it looks like a head of hair!  After coloring, I used the coordinating die to cut him out, and pop him up with dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the same set.  Finally, some regal candy dots finish it off.

I had LOTS of fun playing with this set...can't wait to create some more cards with it!

Thanks for hanging out with me again today.  Hopefully, I will have more cards this weekend.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim