Monday, June 29, 2009

Taken with Cameo Coral

So I bought some of this SU! card stock (Cameo Coral) for Anna's adoption announcement (below).
I just wasn't fond of its bright orangeness (I can't wear orange, I don't decorate with orange, but I'm a Denver Broncos fan; go figure)... Anyhoo, with the Silhouette challenge, I decided to give a bold color scheme a try and found I really like it!

Here's the next card I came up with using Cameo Coral:

What I like about this card is its ease, but also its versatility. With this stamp set, I can easily change it up for the seasons. Among the images, there's a leaf for fall and a snowflake for winter. I'd probably keep the colors the same for the fall version, but I wonder what fun combo I can make for the winter snowflake?

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Anna's Adoption Announcement:

Stamp Sets: Embrace Life

Papers: Ginger Blossom DSP (Retired now), Cameo Coral, Ruby Red and (retired) River Rock card stocks, watercolor paper

Inks: Cameo Coral and River Rock Classics, Stazon Black

Accessories: Aquapainter, Distressing tool from Cutting Tools, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon, Linen Thread

Second Card:

Stamp Sets: Best Wishes and More

Papers: Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss, So Saffron and Cameo Coral card stocks

Inks: Cameo Coral, Mellow Moss and So Saffron Classics

Accessories: Natural Hemp Twine, Paper Snips

Thank you so much for looking!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Silhouette

Here's an entry to the 365 Cards challenge to create a card with a silhouette as its focus...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Fresh Cuts, Warm Words

Papers: Cameo Coral, Glorious Green, So Saffron, and Ballet Blue card stocks

Inks: Glorious Green and Basic Black Classics, VersaMark

Accessories: Designer Label Punch, Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Narrow Whispering White Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thanks so much for looking!

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage...

Here's another 365 entry. The challenge was to make a wedding card (I have Martin Short's character from "Father of the Bride" pronouncing it "wodding" in my head) without an overt "wodding" sentiment... Here's mine!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Holiday Blitz

Papers: Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Basic Black and Whisper White card stocks

Inks: Basic Black Classic

Accessories: 1-inch Circle Punch, Narrow Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thanks so much for looking!

I might make this one again, adding a baby rattle to the bottom right circle to complete the rhyme... ;)

Techniques in Watercolor


This card was an exercise in frustration, for some reason. I love to watercolor, but for some reason, the mojo wasn't flowing for this card. After several tries, the best I could do with regard to the outline of the image is to stamp it in Craft ink and emboss it before watercoloring. My other attempts left me with smudged and blackened watercoloring.


Here's what I came up with... I love this set, which was new this spring, Spring-Summer Catalog (Spring Song).
To add to the fun, my neighbors have just observed me launch out the front door after watching my card fall off the second-story deck (I prefer the natural light, exc. at this hour, when it's getting dark). The punchline is that the sprinkler was on... Now *THAT'S* watercolor!
Thanks for looking!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Wanted

Happy Friday! Here's a card I made for a sketch challenge, using the Stampin' Up! set, Wanted. I used my Color Coach to come up with the color combination (my biggest challenge in papercrafting is coordinating colors)...
Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Wanted

Papers: Rose Red, Certainly Celery and So Saffron card stocks and So Saffron and Rose Red Designer Series Paper (from a retired Hostess Patterns Pack)

Inks: Rose Red Classic and So Saffron Craft

Accessories: Scallop Circle, 1-inch, and 1/2-inch Circle punches, Stampin' Dimensionals

Thanks so much for looking! Have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Another Lavendar Entry...

Oh, my gosh! I love this challenge!


Here's another one, based on an idea that literally woke me up in the middle of the night. How about a shaker card with some blossoms inside?! My Studio smells heavenly now (wish I could pipe that out to you somehow)...

Here it is:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Fundamental Phrases

Papers: Lovely Lilac and Very Vanilla card stocks

Inks: Lovely Lilac and Close to Cocoa

Accessories: Window sheet, Stampin' Dimensionals, Linen Thread, Very Vanilla Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Sponges (to give the ribbon the color; I used both inks), Twill Tape, Silver Brads, 1/16-inch handheld and Scallop Edge punches, Paper Piercing Tool (from Crafters' Tool kit)

Thanks so much for looking!

Monday, June 22, 2009

"Here's your sweet lavender..."

"...sixteen sprigs a penny,
that you’ll find my ladies
will smell as sweet as any."

Lavender Sellers’s Cry, London England CA 1900

Good Monday morning! For today's 365 Cards challenge, we were asked to create a lavender-colored card. I love the botanical lavender. I had a little time before Baby Anna woke up, so I popped outside to take some pictures of mine (they're almost ready to harvest).

Here's my card (which turned out a lot more blue in the photo than it looked in the Studio):
Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Short and Sweet

Paper: Almost Amethyst card stock and DSP (from a retired Hostess Pattern Pack)

Ink: Almost Amethyst

Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate (Damask), Stampin' Up! Birds and Blooms Sizzlits die, Stampin' Up! Scallop Envelope Bigz die, Word Slot punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Here's another lavender quote: "There's a few things I've learned in life: always throw salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for good luck, and fall in love whenever you can." Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic (from http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2008/01/lavender-in-literature-quotes-about.html )

Lavender Sellers’s Cry quote from: http://www.lavendershoppe.com/lavender_quotes.php

Thanks so much for looking!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Another 365 Cards Challenge: Bold Stripes!

For yesterday's challenge on 365 Cards, we were charged with creating a card featuring bold and bright stripes. Yesterday was the last day of my daughter's second-grade year, so here's what I created... Please forgive the fuzzy photo!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:
Stamps: Holiday Blitz, Sincere Salutations
Inks: Basic Black Craft (on twill tape) and Riding Hood Red Classic
Papers: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie and Washington Apple Designer Series Paper (retired and no-longer-available, unfortunately)
Accessories: Spiral, Scallop Circle, 1/2-inch Circle, and Scallop Edge Punches, Twill Tape, Stampin' Dimensionals
Thank you for looking!

More wedding wishes...

Since June is a traditional wedding month, here's another idea for a wedding card. I'm really enjoying the challenge of finding all-white ways to create a card (I hear Billy Idol in my head right now...).Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: None! (WHAT?!)

Papers: Whisper White

Inks: None!

Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Join in the Cheer Sizzlit Decorative Strip die, Stampin' Up! Birds and Blooms Sizzlit die, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plates (Mini Polka Dots and Flourish plates), Pretties kit, Stampin' Dimensionals


Thanks for looking!

Father's Day card!

Father's Day is Sunday and we're having everyone out to the house to celebrate (and show off the yard).

Here is the card I made for the dads... Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Holiday Blitz

Papers: Bordering Blue, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa and Very Vanilla card stocks; So Saffron Designer Series Paper (from a retired Patterns Pack Hostess Item)

Inks: Old Olive and Close to Cocoa Classics

Accessories: Big Shot, Backgrounds I (for Stampin' Up!) Texturz Plate (Harlequin), Crafters' Tool Kit (for piercing), Linen Thread

Happy Father's Day, Daddy, Grandpa, Papa, Uncle B (Geo's takin' you down!), Great-Grandpa, Uncle Coot, Uncle Matt and Uncle David!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Sketch Challenge Entry

Whew! Is it ever good to be back stamping! The yard is much better; I'll upload pics soon... I was so anxious to start stamping again that I've left the laundry that I'd mentioned in my previous post in baskets in my bedroom. I promise I'll get it put away today! :)

Here's the sketch I followed and the card I made for the Sunday Sketch on 365 Cards:

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Warm Words

Papers: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Rose Red and Almost Amethyst (from a retired Pattern Pack Hostess item)

Ink: Certainly Celery Classic

Accessories: Certainly Celery twill (retired from '09 Sell-A-Bration), Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4-inch and 1/2-inch Circle Punches, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensional

It's such a pleasure to be back in the Studio! Thanks so much for looking!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Why I haven't been stamping...

To Whom It May Concern:

Please excuse my daughter, Sara Smeby, from any stamping activities. She has been busy painstakingly weeding and spreading 10 yards of three-way mix in her much-neglected yard. She will look forward to returning to her Happy Place (the Studio) as soon as "The Dirt Pile" is removed from the driveway and she can park in the garage again. Oops, no, she'll have to catch up on laundry, basic housework and grocery shopping first. THEN she can stamp... Thank you.



Saturday, June 6, 2009

Wedded Bliss!


I'm really enjoying the all-white color scheme! Here's a wedding or anniversary card...

Note the embossed piece behind the flower and the embossed dove. I used my Big Shot and Texturz Plates (Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I) to add the subtle details.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Always

Inks: Basic Black Classic

Paper: Whisper White card stock

Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot, Texturz Plates Backgrounds I (Stampin' Up! exclusive), Pretties Kit, Photo Corner Punch, Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Play Ball!




This weekend brought us our last softball game for the season for Jordan's team, the Blue Jays. Here's the card I made for the coaches' thank you gifts...




Inspired by an Ad!



This card was inspired by the following ad:
This challenge was a lot of fun (to create a card using the above ad as inspiration)!!

I tried a new technique for this card. Using the Sizzix Texturz Backgrounds I Plate (a Stampin' Up! exclusive), I ran it through my Big Shot and then applied Black Craft ink to the back of the textured piece. I let it dry overnight (I could have heat-set it with my heat tool).

I applied two rhinestone brads to the piece of Basic Black card stock (I was thinking of the permanence of diamonds and how they symbolize the longevity we hope to have in our relationships).

Finally, while it doesn't come out clearly in the picture, I used my Certainly Celery Classic ink pad and dyed the flower from the Pretties Kit. I let that dry overnight, too. I layered it over a white flower (I *LOVE* the flowers pictured in the top center panel of the ad).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Set: Baroque Motifs

Inks: Certainly Celery Classic and Basic Black Classic; Basic Black Craft

Accessories: Flowers and rhinestone brads from the Pretties Kit, Sizzix Big Shot, Texturz Plate (Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I), brayer, Stampin' Dimensionals

I really enjoyed this challenge. Thank you for looking!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Soft Summer and Scallops Birthday Card for Dear Sister

This final design for our card making class allowed us to get all of our pent-up scallops out (I CASE'd this; thank you for the inspiration, LeeAnn Graff!). I actually made this for my sister first, then thought the class members would enjoy it, too.

This pretty Soft Summer flower stamp is available until June 30 (it's from the Occasions Mini Catalog).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Soft Summer and Oval All

Papers: Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, So Saffron, Whisper White

Inks: Almost Amethyst, Certainly Celery, and Basic Black

Accessories: Scallop Edge and Scallop Oval Punches, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig

**The floral image is Two-Step Stamping; using the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig takes the guesswork (and stress!) out of lining up the insides of the flower with the outline. It's also easiest to color the flower with two Stampin' Write Markers, as opposed to using ink pads.**

Finally, when using the Scallop Edge Punch to do an entire side as I have here, punch first in the middle and then work your way out. Whenever I start at the tippy-top or bottom, I end up with a scalloped diagonal because I get off-course. Keeping one "bump" that you've already punched out in your "sites" as you punch helps keep you straight.

Happy Birthday, Mobes! I love you!

Thanks so much for looking!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Bella Birds Top Note for Card Class

This was Card # Deux for our preschool auction card class yesterday. Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Boho Backgrounds


Papers: Bella Birds Designer Series Paper (on the Last Chance List) and Bordering Blue and Very Vanilla Card Stock


Ink: Bordering Blue and Black Classic


Accessories: Sizzix Big Shot, Top Note Bigz Die, Scallop Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Very Vanilla Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon

Another option:



Thanks for looking!

Monday, June 1, 2009

Baroque Motifs in a Slew of Layers

I designed this card for the card class I donated to my son's preschool. The lucky bidder actually bought the class for her sister as a birthday gift and it was fun to be with them (they made me miss my sister, who lives out-of-state!).

I CASEd the awesome layout of this card from Wendy Weixler. I really loved the layers (especially the one on the top right -- love how it's flush at the top with the body of the card!). I used my own color scheme, stamp set and embellishments. I can't wait to see what else I can do to this terrific layout. I made a few of this card to give to graduates in my life...Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Baroque Motifs and Short and Sweet sets

Papers: Chocolate Chip Patterns Designer Series Paper, Elegant Eggplant, Barely Banana, Very Vanilla, Rose Red

Inks: Elegant Eggplant

Accessories: Big Shot, Backgrounds I Texturz Plate, Very Vanilla Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon, Very Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware, and Designer Label and 1/16-inch handheld punches

**Note** It's hard to see in my picture, but I fed the Chocolate Chip Patterns Designer Series Paper through the Sizzix Big Shot, using the Texturz Plate (Flourish) to give it an embossed look that coordinates with the flourish stamped on the Very Vanilla piece in the middle. I also crumpled my poor Barely Banana card stock until it started to peel apart (one piece will come apart into two "sueded" pieces).

Winner of the 365 Cards' Card of the Week!

What a way to start a Monday! I logged on this morning to discover that I'd been chosen as part of 365 Cards' "Top Trio" for my entry on Sunday, May 24. It was my first entry and I loved the challenge of the, well, challenge! :) What a hoot! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Here's the link to see for yourself: http://365cards.blogspot.com/2009/05/day-93-call-me.html