Friday Mashup! Watercolor and Sketch

Hello and Happy Friday!! Time for a fabulous Friday Mashup challenge! Can you believe Christmas is 2 days away?? I can't! Not only am I not ready, but I started feeling sick earlier this week. Yup, by yesterday afternoon, I was a mess! Thank goodness I have the day off so I can sleep off and on! Anywho...my card didn't get to the challenge blog on time, but here it is. I actually hope to make a better card before the end of the day!!

Lisa has this week's challenge...she calls it "easy"...well, shucks, I struggled quite a bit! But I forgive her! LOL!! Here is the challenge:

1. Make a project using the sketch shown above


2. Make a project using watercoloring


3. Or Mash it Up and make a project using the sketch and watercoloring

Well, I knew I needed a few more Christmas cards, and this set from last year's Holiday Mini had never seen ink. I just ran out of time for watercoloring, and so I figured I could do it this year. (As I am typing, I have one completed, but hope to make 12 of these.) I started with island indigo for my card base, layered with some Stampin' Up watercolor paper. I stamped the image from Rejoicing in Christmas with craft ink and heat embossed. Then I used my aqua brush to "paint" with river rock, soft suede, early espresso, pool party, indigo island, blush blossom, and basic gray. Next I sponged the background with pool party, wisteria wonder, and indigo island. I then stamped the star with gold ink, added clear embossing powder, and heat embossed. I added some gold smooch for the halos. (One area I need to improve on the other cards!) I added some wisteria wonder card stock, cut with the top note die and embossed with the perfect polka dots folder. The horizontal strip is soft suede textured card stock, with the scallop trim edge. The sentiment is from the same stamp set, punched out with the scallop oval and lightly sponged. The final detail is some pool party ruffled ribbon.

Well, I need to work on my execution, but I'm happy with the design! Maybe after some cold medicine and hot tea, I can crank out the rest. After all, I need to get them in the mail! Thank goodness there are 12 Days of Christmas!! Pleaser join us, and use keyword FM38 in your gallery. See what the design team did by checking out the Friday Mashup blog.

This week's challenge, along with last week, will remain open longer (January 4th, WooHoo!) so you can stamp at your leisure during this Christmas-New Year's season!! We hope you join us for each challenge...and tell your friends!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! A Chip Off the Old Block!

Hello and Happy Friday! Time for another Friday Mashup Challenge! With the lack of posts lately, you might think I have not been stamping much. But actually, I have been making lots of Christmas cards and winter birthday cards...just no time to blog! I hope to catch up this weekend!



Heidi is the hostess this week...and she took me out of my comfort zone just a bit! Here is the challenge:

1. Make a project using "Chipboard"


2. Make a project using a distressing technique


3. Or Mash it Up and make a project using chipboard and distressing.

Hmmmm...I can handle distressing! I don't have any special tools for it, but it is something I have done for years off and on. Chipboard on the other hand makes me go"Huh?" Ilove it when I see it used, but I don't use it much at all. Nothing like a blog challenge to get me going!! So, here is my card (using all Stampin' Up products). The picture is a bit week...cold, dark, cloudy here for the last few days!

I have some retired chipboard alphabet pieces from Stampin' Up, and this fabulous retired DSP (Deck the Halls) from last year's Holiday Mini. With these 2 elements, the card came together quickly. I started with a crumb cake base. I added a layer of always artichoke, which was embossed with the petals a plenty impressions folder. I took a piece of the dsp and crumpled it with my hands, then lightly sponged with crumb cake ink. I attached it with dimensionals, then my hubby suggested I distress it more...so I literally took my thumb nail randomly along the edges. Not bad, huh? The chipboard pieces were covered in cherry cobbler craft ink and clear embossing powder, then heat embossed. I used my Tombow liquid adhesive to make sure they would stick to the crumpled paper. My last details is a scrunched piece of always artichoke seam binding with 2 basic pearls. I had not done this ribbon treatment for a while, and I am glad I pulled it out for this card! This card also qualifies for this week's color challenge at splitcoastsampers!

The design team has some fun projects for your inspiration. Check out the Friday Mashup blog, then play along this week. Be sure to use keyword FM37 in your online gallery. I'll be watching!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! Baby, It's Cold Outside!!

(I have that classic tune in my head now. I can hear Ben Folds and Sarah Bareilles of "The Sing Off" right now...very cool!)

Hello and Happy Friday! It's my week to host, and I have a chilly Friday Mashup challenge with some chilly colors for you! Here in the midwest, it is getting colder and darker these days. I leave work at 5 pm, and I swear it feels like it is 10 pm! I have lived in Illinois my entire life...I should be used to it, but that doesn't mean I like it! LOL!! But despite the cold and dark, we can still have fun, and for many in our area that means playing in the snow. I am a wimp, so I don't play in the snow...but I sure enjoy watching people have fun with snow ball fights and making Snowmen! My husband is a big kid, and he loves the snow! So, here is your challenge:

1) Create a project featuring Snowmen

2) Create a project featuring blushing bride, baja breeze and basic gray

3) Or Mash it Up! and create a product featuring Snowmen and the colors blushing bride, baja breeze and basic gray.

For our stamping friends Down Under (waving to Kasey!), I know it is warm for you now. You can play with this chilly theme or make me jealous with the colors in a more summery look!

For my card, I featured the adorable Stampin Up set "Snow Much Fun" which is in this year's IBC. I didn't have any other snowman stamps...not usually my thing...but shucks these guys are ADORABLE! Perfect for those winter birthdays and thinking of you cards! I stamped the image with basic gray ink on whisper white, then used my basic gray, blushing bride, baja breeze and pumpin pie markers to color it in. I used the scallop squares Sizzix die and the Big Shot to cut it out, then sponged the edges with blushing bride. The sentiment is from the same set, punched out with the scallop oval punch and sponged with baja breeze. Both of these layers are popped up with dimensionals. The other fun part is under the snowman. I used my Tasteful Trim die to cut out these waves...liked snow drifts...from the silver glimmer paper (found in the Holiday Mini) and in baja breeze. The baja breeze strip is embossed with the new Snowburst impressions folder. My final 2 details are basic pearls colored with the baja breeze marker and some blushing bride stitched-poly ribbon.

I have a second card, which I made 3 weeks ago with my Stamping Club, just never posted it. I knew I was going to use snowmen for this challenge so I held off. The card base is cherry cobbler, and I added a big strip of glimmer paper adorned with this luscious cherry cobbler quilted ribbon found in the Holiday Mini. I REALLY hope this stuff shows up in future catalogs! I stamped the other adorable snowman and colored him with cherry cobbler, marina mist, basic gray, pumpkin pie and blushing bride markers. The image is mounted on some marina mist dsp from the Subtles Pattern stack. I used my ovals sizzix die for the larger oval, and colored the glimmer paper with my marina mist marker. (Learned that fun trick at a SU Demo meeting!) The sentiment is from On Your Birthday....a must have stamp set!!

So, whether you are in a warm or chilly climate, you get to play in the snow this week! Check out the rest of the Design Team creations for some inspiration on the Friday Mashup blog. Be sure to use keyword FM36 when uploading to your online gallery.

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup!! Shake, Shake, Shake, Senora!!

Hello Stamping Friends! My post is a bit late...guess who fell asleep on the couch in front of the TV last night? Sheesh! Yesterday was my first day back to work after vacation, and it was BUSY! Thank goodness I have the weekend coming just around the corner! LOL!

This week's Friday Mashup http://www.fridaymashup.com is a lot of fun! It comes from one of our newer Design Team members, Rita. I LOVE her creations! But wow...she really challenged me this week! Ready to be challenged? Here ya go!

1. Make a project featuring a "Shaker card"
2. Make a project featuring a "Winter Theme"
3. Or Mash it Up and make a Shaker card with a winter theme!

I don't mind admitting that I had never made a shaker card before. Wait...just one, in a club before I was a demo. I forgot about that one. But I had no window sheets or foam tape...what to do, what to do?? Well, Duh! I have these fabulous treat cups! Last time I used one, I filled it with candy, which was fun, but not the same effect. Today's card has pretty (but not edible!) Mica Flakes, found in the Stampin' Up Holiday Mini catalog. My card base is baja breeze, with some blushing bride, then a layer of whisper white stamped with Serene Snowflakes. My treat cup is surrounded by a scrap of retired Candy Cane dsp, with real red snowflakes inside. Weird to have red snowflakes, I know. But it goes with the dsp and I wanted them visible behind the flakes! The sentiment is from On Your Birthday, punched with the decorative label punch, and layered over garden green card stock. My ribbon is the fabulous blushing bride twill ribbon.

This card requires hand delivery or a big, padded envelope. I am sending it to a dear friend in Colorado. Then again, maybe she doesn't need anymore snow! LOL!

Hope you can join us again this week at the Friday Mashup! http://www.fridaymashup.com Can't wait to see what's shakin'!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup! Sugar and Spice...

Hello Stamping Friends!! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, I am officialy in "panic mode" for Christmas cards! This week's Friday Mashup gives me a chance to design something that will be fun and easy to duplicate. Lesley has a fun challenge for this week's challenge... http://www.fridaymashup.com/

1. Make a project with a Christmas theme
2. Make a project using aqua, chocolate, and white
3. Or Mash it Up and make a project with a Christmas theme using aqua, chocolate and white

In terms of the colors, I chose Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip, and Whisper White. I started with a chocolate chip card base, and added a strip of tempting turquoise. I added a whisper white panel, embossed with the tulip frame impressions folder in my Big Shot. I stamped the sentiment from God's Blessings, and the ornaments from Tags 'til Christmas. Next, I used my marker to add lines to those ornaments. Then I used my favorite Baby Jesus stamp from the retired Miracle of Christmas set, punched out with my ornament punch, sponged the edges, and popped up in the center. I sponged the edge of the white layer, and embellished with 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and basic jewel pearls colored with my marker.

I never would have considered this color scheme for Christmas...but it was a fun challenge! I should be able to do manyy more quickly after Thanksgiving vacation. I better...you should see my mailing list!!

Hope you join us this week at the Friday Mashup! Check out the blog http://www.fridaymashup.com/ for some yummy inspiration pieces...then link up your creations! Can't wait to see them!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup!! Everything's Coming Up Rosettes!

Hello and Happy Friday, Everyone!! It's time for another fun and fabulous Friday Mashup http://www.fridaymashup.com/ challenge!! This week, Holly has a great sketch for us, plus a "technique"...

1. Make a project using "Paper Rosettes"
2. Make a project using the sketch above
3. Or Mash it Up and make a project with paper rosettes using the sketch above!

Aye, aye, aye!! I really struggle with paper flowers (other plain punches! LOL!) I have the new Simply Score tool from Stampin' Up...but my fine motor skills stink!! So, while many of the uber talented design team members created some FABULOUS rosettes, accordion-style, I took a different approach. I TRIED the great accordion flowers...several times. Tried the spiral-cut-scallop-circle-flower-...Nada.

So, you get a PUNCHED "flower!" Hey, at least I got the sketch right! LOL!

The sketch is flipped, since I had this piece of card stock cut and ready to go. My card base is early espresso. I used some Paisley Petals dsp, plus made some of my own with the Paisley Petals stamp set (arrived in my home this week!) My hand made designer paper was stamped on whisper white card stock, using early espresso ink and colored with blender pens. I used river rock, soft suede, pear pizazz and not quite navy ink...then sponged with river rock and pear pizazz. I pulled out my neglected ticket corner punch for the stamped panel and layer of not quite navy. For the flower, I punched out an extra large baja breeze scallop circle, sponged with not quite navy ink. I layered it with a large designer button found in the Holiday Mini, and added a sentiment from On Your Birthday. I still have 2 birthdays to take care of this month!!

Hope you join us foer this week's challenge! Be sure to check out the inspiration pieces from the design team on the Friday Mashup blog! http://www.fridaymashup.com/

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Friday Mashup!! Let's hear it for the Girls!!

Happy Friday, everyone!! As you are reading this, I am enjoyinga long weekend in South Carolina! I have a speaking engagement in Rock Hill tomorrow, then I'll spend a couple of days with my mom. Should be fun! But before heading out, I had fun with this week's Friday Mashup, brought to us by Kasey! Ready? Here it is:

1. Make a project featuring a Girly Theme


2. Make a project using Your Favorite Technique


3. Or Mash it Up...and make a project with a Girly theme, using your favorite technique.

Well, because I hosted a big party this past weekend, and I am traveling this weekend, I had to think FAST! And so I decided to Mash it Up with one of my favorite techniques from my earliest stamping days: Making my own Designer Paper!! I was inspired by my Stampin' Up designer paper, Flirtatious (girly title!), which was out on my table already since my nieces (young girls) were using it Sunday. But I wanted different colors, so I decided to make my own. I started with a wisteria wonder card base, then stamped randomly on whisper white with my Delicate Doilies (very girly!!) stamp set. I used wisteria wonder, lucky limeade, pool party, and concord crush classic inks. I embellished with concord twill ribbon and basic jewel rhinestones. My sentiment is from On Your Birthday, stamped in concord, with some limeade doilies...punched out with my scallop circle and layered overe an extra large scallop circle in pool party. Of course, the smaller circle is popped up with dimensionals.

I love lots of techniques...but embossing and watercoloring takes a bit more time. Don't be afraid to pull out some basics when you need a quick card. You could crank out a lot of these in no time!

...That is, if you don't have to pack your bags for a road trip! Be sure to check out the Friday Mashup blog for inspiration from the design team, and use keyword FM32 in your online gallery. Can't wait to see what you create!!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}