More Hope!

Hello Stamping Friends!

I have a few more HYCCCT cards to post.  I have not been doing these in order, so hang in there with me!

Lee posted a challenge, "A Bear for My Sister."  I have no cute bear images, but I recall receiving 2 of these stamped images in a swap.  Sorry, I don't know what company makes this stamp.  But the sentiment is from a retired set from My Favorite Things.  My card base is basic gray.  The dsp is from a long-retired Christmas pack from SU.  I used my blender pens to color the image, cut it out with my framelits, and sponged.  The colors I used are kiwi kiss, soft sky, basic gray, smokey slate, creamy caramel, and pretty in pink.  I also cut the sentiment out with framelits.  The ribbon is from a different swap.




Next, I have a card for Misti's challenge: "A Spoonful of Sugar."  Starting with a chocolate chip card base, I added a layer of close to cocoa that is embossed with the diagonal stripes folder.  The ribbon is from some yummy blog candy that I won a while ago.  I used the SU set "So Very" for this card, stamping with melon mambo and chocolate chip on whisper white and pink pirouette card stock.  I made a cup cake with my scallop circle punch, a scrap of glimmer paper and a free-hand cut piece of textured melon mambo for the base.  I colored the glimmer paper with a melon mambo marker and added pink stickles (more blog candy) to the embossed swirls, to look like frosting.  This will make a nice card for my great-niece next month!

Finally tonight I have a card for Bridget's challenge, "A Card for My Hero." My card has a very clean and simple design.  I have lots of heroes, but I usually think of heroes of the Faith.  I had this stamp with a quote from Mother Teresa.  I decided to showcase it on white (embossed with those diagonal stripes again) with pacific point striped ribbon to mimic the habits of her religious order, The Missionary Sisters of Charity.  I have a lot of punched out hearts, so I grabbed a few for a pop of color...and to go with her inspiring words.
More fun cards will be posted in the next few days.  Stay Tuned!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Dasher Forest Swap

Well, by the look of my blog, you may have thought I forgot how to stamp!! But I have been busy with Christmas cards and some swaps. Today, I am showing a card I made for a swap on splitcoaststampers. My cyber-swapping friend, Jeanette, is known to many as Forest Ranger. She is hosting a swap with the theme "Forest Friends." Hmmmm...I don't have many stamps to go with that theme. I thought about Fox & Friends...but then I ran into Dasher sitting in my cabinet. This fun single stamp from Stampin' Up is a great image to have! I used the pine tree from Lovely as a Tree (a must-have set!), stamping off first, so the ink is very faint, keeping Dasher in the forefront. The trees are stamped in always artichoke and garden green, and I lightly sponged garden green and blue on the image. No snow yet apparently! LOL! I knew many people have their Christmas cards done already, but we all need some Christmas thank you's! So I used garden green, real red, and very vanilla card stock, with some retired designer series paper. Chocolate chip grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, non-SU gold beads, and my punches paired with Teeny Tiny Wishes wrap up the details.

Well, I have a lot of cards still to make! Hopefully I will post more soon!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Colorful Challenges

Here are 2 recent color challenge cards from splitcoaststampers. All products used are from Stampin' Up!

This clean and simple card was made with always artichoke, blushing bride, and marina mist (this week's colors). I used some patterned paper from the Hostess Level 1 In-color pack. The cute little bird is from Fun and Fast Notes, colored with markers, and mounted on a bit of artichoke patterned paper. Everyone should get these Patterns Designer Series Paper Stacks! So versatile...such a great way yo add interest in a short time. I accessorized with artichoke seam binding and flower brads from the brights collection.





This next card was for a swap, and for last week's color challenge...pear pizazz, peach parfait, and concord crush. I added a bit of daffodil delight and baja breeze too. I actually started this swap before the color challenge was posted, but it took me forever to finish!! I have somehow lost my oval punch. How did I do that??? My efforts to find theovl so I could use a particular sentiment failed...so I resorted to the fail-proof Teeny Tiny Wishes. My faithful scallop oval and word window punches got a work-out, as I needed to make 30 of these! You probably recognize the Awash with Flowers images too, for 2-step stamping. I think I am going to tuck them away for the fall/winter season now. That way they will feel like new next April! More patterned paper...and how 'bout that FABULOUS twill ribbon!? It comes in each of the 5 In-colors! I *need* some more!

Thanks for stopping by!

Inky {{HUGS}}}

Holiday Mini Sneak Peek!

In just one week, Stampin' Up! fans will be able to order from the NEW Holiday Mini catalog! There is so much fun stuff in there! As a SU demo, I get to order items early...WooHoo!

I make a gazillion Christmas cards each year, so I really need to get going on them before I go into panic mode! LOL My Christmas cards always include a sacred theme...I'll use the snowflakes and ornaments for samples...or even winter birthdays and thank you's...but my main cards demonstrate my faith. It is a lot of fun! I love angels, and so this NEW stamp set, Angelic Joy, is a perfect choice! This is a slight variation of a swap I did with area demos. I apologize...I assembled this late last night, and really should have stamped the angel again. It is a bit faded in the center. My hubby/photographer had a tough time with this!

The card base is Crumb Cake. I also used Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, and Very Vanilla, along with the NEW Deck the Halls DSP. LOVE this stuff! Rich, vintage patterns...would be great for scrapbooking too. I stamped the angel in Chocolate Chip ink, and sponged the edges with Crumb Cake. The sentiment is stamped in Cherry Cobbler, and you can see I used my scallop oval and modern label punches. I added the NEW Cherry Cobbler seam binding...very pretty!...and a NEW Deck the Halls Big Designer Button with a touch of hemp twine. The packages of Big Buttons are wonderful! I just recently fell in love with buttons, so I will play with these a lot!

This card is bulky with layers and lots of dimensionals...so it will either be hand delivered or mailed in a padded envelope. Either way, I hope to make 12 more this weekend!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Lots of Friends!

One of my new stamp sets from the Idea Book and Catalog (IBC) is Friends Never Fade. The solid images are great for quick cards. I have used the stylized flower before, with the thumping technique,. but these cards feature other stamps in the set.

This first card shows off the two sides of dsp from Greenhouse Gala. I made the card front for a swap, using chocolate chip and whisper white, then mounted it onto a base of baja breeze. The main image is stamped in chocolate, the other image in pumpkin pie. I used certainly celery satin ribbon.


Now this card features my favorite new color...Cherry Cobbler...along with basic black and river rock. I had to force myself to use river rock. When it was first around a few years ago, I stayed away...but now that it is a core color, I am playing with it. Who knows...I may learn to like it! I used Versamark ink to get a tone-on-tone look on the river rock, along with the cherry cobbler. The main image is stamped in cherry on vanilla, with 2 basic black brads. The black layer is texturized with a Texturz plate and the big shot.




Finally, this is an old color challenge card I had not yet posted...baja breeze, so saffron, and rich razzleberry. LOVE this combo!! I made my own dp by stamping the tiny flower from Because I Care in the 3 colors. The pre-made dsp is from Greenhouse Gala. Saffron brads and white organza ribbon finish it off.

Isn't it fun to see one stamp set in 3 different cards? Have fun being versatile!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Sketchy Swap

I had such a busy week, that my poor stamps have been neglected! After speaking for a local prayer & Bible study group early this morning, I buckled down and stamped away. Just 2 days ago, I signed up for 4 swaps...perhaps foolishly considering my work schedule for the next month! One swap is for sympathy cards. I had made a simple card quite awhile ago...expected too simply duplicate it...but then I looked at the sketch challenge on SCS. I kept changing things up...colors, sentiments...and this is the final product. I wanted something earthy for the upcoming fall season.

I started with Woodland Walk dsp...that led me to a chocolate chip card base, and layers of both garden green and wild wasabi. I added peach parfait for contrast. I used the retired stamp set Close as a Memory, coloring the image with garden green, peach parfait and pumpkin pie markers, then sponged the edges with crumb cake. The scallop trim border punch adds a lot, I think. I didn't have room for the sentiment that goes with the flowers, so Teeny Tiny Wishes is featured again with the modern label punch. The wide chocolate ribbon and corduroy button are retired, but the hemp twine is still available. And hey, the button works for the Ways to Use It challenge this week! Ta-dah!

I made 2 extra cards, but the rest will go postal to my swap hostess Monday morning.

On to my next swap!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Swaps!

Just a quick post to "showoff" 2 cards I submitted for a recent swap on splitcoaststampers. Everyything is from Stampin'Up!

The first thank you card features some retired items (the pink pirouette striped ribbon and bella birds dsp, and the flowers in silhouette image)...but I'm hoping something similar comes in this summer since Pink Pirouette is coming back! WooHoo! I used my Ovals big shot die to get coordinated ovals, and the word window punch with Teeny Tiny Wishes. Ink colors are so saffron and chocolate chip to match the paper. The card base is the soon-to-retire bordering blue. I stocked up on this favorite!

The same hostess had a youth birthday card swap. I had no idea what to do, but looked at my retiring goodies. I decided to use ruby red card stock to make room for the returning riding hood red and new cherry cobbler! I also used very vanilla, close to cocoa, creamy caramel and brocade blue (very vanilla is staying, don't worry!). I ran card stock in my big shot with the Circles big shot die, and then two of them with the polka dots embossing folder. That cute monkey is from Fox & Friends, with chocolate chip and ruby red ink. The sentiments are from On Your Birhday and, what else.Teeny Tiny Wishes! Topped it off with brocade ribbon. I am making room for new goodies!!

Ink {{{HUGS}}}

Really, I still do stamp!

It has been a long time since I posted an actual card here. Even my splitcoaststampers gallery has been neglected. Too busy with my fund raiser. OK< also too busy chatting with friends about stamping!!

Seriously, I have made a lot of swap cards lately. Swaps are a lot of fun! I do some with other demonstrators when we get new products. (Couldn't do the Summer Mini swap 'cuz the cards are due the day after my fund raising banquet!) I do other swaps on splitcoaststampers. It's a great way to get a fun variety of cards!

Well, this card was made for a Color Challenge on splitcoaststampers. Always Artichoke, Crushed Curry, and Basic Gray. I was surprised at how good these colors work together! I also used very vanilla and Razzleberry Lemonade DSP (the curry layer). I Love how the curly label punch and Top Note Big Shot die go so well together! The main image is a silhouette, colored with Stampin' Write markers...Inspired by Nature. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday. I added 2 vintage brads and some lovely basic gray satin ribbon! Sponging the edges of my layers finished it off!

So...I made 6 more of these for a swap. Actually changed it to a Thank You card, since it was a Thank You swap. Hope everyone else likes it too!

Baby Birthday Cards

This past weekend was a blast as I participated in splitcoaststampers "Virtual Stamp Night." This event happens a few times a year. Challenges are posted each hour for about 5 hours Friday night and 10 hours Saturday. Stampers are told to complete projects in 45 minutes or less (honor system, of course). The overall theme was the Winter Olympics. Good thing was I needed some baby birthday cards for a SCS swap I am hosting. Silly me, I completed my 2nd swap before my first. Good thing I don't have to mail these!! LOL!!

One challenge called for us to be inspired by Vancouver's waterfront. The sample was elegant, detailed...very involved. Well, I went another direction...the beloved CAS! (Clean & Simple) I pulled out Fox & Friends for that adorable whale,and used the scallop border punch. The sentiment is from On Your Birthday. The colors are night of navy and brocade blue.


The little girl card was for a "Sharpen your Blades" challenge. It called for the use of a score blade. I scored lines on the pink pirouette card stock, but you can't see it in the picture. I did score & fold a small panel for the bottom. I used the same stamp sets...but the colors are retired pink pirouette and riding hood red.

These will go to moms who graduate from the Bridges program at the ministry when their babies turn 1 year old. Lots of fun to make!!

Happy Stamping!!