Six-Sided Hexagon! Coordinating Stamp Set and Punch

One of the items from the new 2013-2014 Annual Catalog that I was so excited to order was the Six-Sided Sampler Bundle and this baby does *NOT* disappoint!  There are eight great patterns/designs in hexagons plus three super-versatile sentiments in this set.  Also included in the bundle (for a 15% discount if purchased as the bundle) is the Hexagon Punch.

Here you can see where I stamped the hexagons on the Whisper White in Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Rich Razzleberry.  I also inked my hexagon in Rich Razzleberry before I stamped it on Rich Razzleberry card stock (then punched it lickety-split with my Hexagon Punch).  The shadow is created because I've bumped it up on a Stampin' Dimensional.

Another hot trend is washi tape, and this is a stamp from the fun set, Tape It.  It's inked in Daffodil Delight and Fussy Cut to lay over the sentiment.  

This project was created for 365 Cards (you might remember the week I sponsored back in February).  The challenge for Day 187 was to Stamp It All (no other embellishing) and it's also an entry to be a guest designer!  

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Six-Sided Sampler Bundle (W132725, C1132724), Tape It (W130712, C130715)

Papers:  Whisper White (100730) and Rich Razzleberry (115316) Card Stocks

Inks:  Rich Razzleberry (126950), Daffodil Delight (126944) and Pacific Point (126951) Classic Inks

Accessories:  Hexagon Punch (from bundle), Paper Snips (103579) Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Sponsored by: This Week on 365 Cards...

This week, I am thrilled to be sponsoring one of my all-time favorite challenge sites, 365 Cards.  I've been playing along now for a few years and I'm hooked!

The Design Team is fantastic -- their cards are diverse, well-crafted, thoughtful and inspiring.  The good people at 365 Cards are also developing a lovely community of crafters with plenty of positive energy and support.  It's just a really nice place to spend some time.  

Here are a couple of projects I made for the Patchwork challenge for yesterday...

Do yourself and your craft a favor and check them out...  There's a Word Wednesday challenge, a Color Scheme challenge and a sketch to enjoy each week, as well as other innovative challenges to stretch your creative muscles...

Stamps and Soccer {A Sneak Peek}

Hello, Studio Visitors!  Between watching my daughter's soccer games in a very *rainy* tournament, I was able to sneak into the Studio for the following projects...  

It's Canning Season with Perfectly Preserved

This project was created for a couple of challenges:  365 Cards' Super Sketchy Sunday and the Friday Mashup Challenge  77 (fall-themed with Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Raspberry Ripple, Lucky Limeade and Early Espresso).

Studio Suggestion:

--Stamp your images first when using the Cannery Framelits (available as a bundle with the Perfectly Preserved stamp set in the Holiday Mini Catalog).  Use a sticky note to hold the framelit in place over your stamped image and run it through the Big Shot.

--Save those scraps!  I used scraps of Cajun Craze over the polka dot embossed Early Espresso piece on the left.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Perfectly Preserved (W126690, C126692) *Purchased as part of the Perfectly Preserved Bundle, (W129943, C129944) with a 15% savings*

Papers:   Cajun Craze (119684), More Mustard (100946),  Lucky Limeade (122926), Whisper White (100730) and Early Espresso (119686)

Inks:   Cajun Craze (126965), Raspberry Ripple (126859), and Lucky Limeade (126984)

Accessories and Tools:  Big Shot (113439), Cannery Framelits Set (127822) *Purchased instead as a part of of the Perfectly Preserved Bundle (W129943, C129944), Perfect Polka Dots Folder (117335), Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882)

Halloween Card with Dynamic Duos, Sponge Grunge and MOJO

Boo!  :) How is it that I'm already making cards for Halloween and Christmas?  I guess it's because the challenges made me do it.  First, I blame the fab gals at Dynamic Duos, who encouraged us with their Black Tie combo this week to use Basic Black and Lucky Limeade.  

Next, I blame 365 Cards for the Sponge Grunge challenge, for which we were to add accents of color with our sponges...  You can see I added some to every shape on the card... 

...including the opening edge.

Of all my weekend's "toil," I'd say this project is one of my favorites (I hear MacBeth in my head now -- a witch's caldron project is sure to follow!).

Finally, I give blame credit to Mojo Monday (specifically MOJO258) for this great sketch...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Googly Ghouls (W128060, C128063)

Papers:  Lucky Limeade (2011-13 In Color -- 122926), Basic Black (121045) and Whisper White (100730)

Inks:  Lucky Limeade (2011-13 In Color -- 122984) and Basic Black (126980) Classics

Accessories:  Chevron Textured Impressions embossing folder (127749), Big Shot (113439), Finishing Touches Edgelits (127010), 2 1/2-inch Circle (120906), 1 3/4-inch Circle (119850) and 1-inch Circle (119868) Punches, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (for the eye -- 118309), 1 1/4-inch Square Punch (for the flagged ends -- 119865), Stamping Sponges (101610), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Sketch-Inspired Christmas Card

I know fall is just barely in the air, but there have been a lot of Christmas-themed challenges out there and I couldn't resist!

This card was inspired by the great sketch provided by Pam and the gals at 365 Cards for the Super Sketchy Sunday challenge.  

The fun challenge blog, Cute Card Thursday, challenged us to make this week's project Christmas-themed, so here we are!

I used my Scallop Trim Border punch to mimic the scalloped sides in the sketch.

**STUDIO SUGGESTION**:  I added a quarter-sheet of Very Vanilla Card stock to the inside of this card to make the scalloped border of the front half stand out more.  With darker card stocks (or recipients who might have trouble reading), it's often a good idea to use a lighter card stock inside on which to write your message.

Ribbon scraps are kept in a glass candy jar at my work station and I was thrilled to find this combination (I especially love the texture).

The pretty medallion in the upper right corner was created using the Hostess Set found in the 2012 Holiday Catalog, Mixed Medley. I stamped tone-on-tone with Cherry Cobbler for the big circle and again on Very Vanilla.

Paper Snips make cutting the flagged edges on my ribbon scraps super-easy.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Mixed Medley (W128054, C128057)

Papers:  Soft Suede (115318), Very Vanilla (101650), and Cherry Cobbler (119685)

Inks:  Cherry Cobbler Classic (126966)

Accessories:  Scallop Trim Border (118402), Crochet Trim (118481), So Saffron 3/8-inch Taffeta (122982), and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding (120992), 1-1/4 (119861) and 3/4-inch (119873) Circle Punches, and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430).

Starburst for Fall-Themed and Sketch Challenges

With the beginning of fall just a few days away, I found that a lot of the challenges in which I've been participating are inspired by this change of seasons.  This card is based in part upon a theme and sketch challenge offered by the fine folks at The Friday Mashup.  With Friday Mashup, we get to choose to follow one of the challenge ideas or mash them both up and create a project using both.  In this case, we were offered this sketch:    

We could "mash" it up by adding a fall theme to our project.  Speaking of fall, the lovely challenge blog, 365 Cards, of which I so often write, challenged us to use five of something and to make it fall-themed in the Five for Fall challenge.  I chose five colors:  So Saffron, More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Soft Suede and Early Espresso.

This card was thus inspired.  I *LOVE* the French script (it's very subtle in this picture), which I inked with So Saffron and stamped on So Saffron card stock.  

**STUDIO SUGGESTION**:  A dusting with my sponge and some Early Espresso makes the punched piece stand out a bit more.

I chose So Saffron Taffeta Ribbon to clean up my edges and I used my Paper Snips to carefully clip out the leaf that I'd inked in Cajun Craze.

**STUDIO SUGGESTION**:  Paper Snips have smaller blades that are super-sharp, so cutting with precision is a snip snap!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  French Foliage (W120845, C121166)

Papers:  So Saffron (105118), More Mustard (100946), Cajun Craze (119684), Soft Suede (115318) and Early Espresso (119686)

Inks:  So Saffron (126957), Cajun Craze (126965), and Early Espresso (126974) Classics

Accessories:  Decorative Label Punch (120907), So Saffron Taffeta Ribbon (122982), Stamping Sponges (101610), Paper Snips (103579), and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Weekly {Sneak Peek}

Fall is in the air and it was in the challenges that I participated in, as well (Christmas was, too, but I'm not going to write about that yet).  :)

A "quiet" card to send to a friend who had a death in the family:

I'm not "feeling" Christmasy yet, but I have enjoyed dabbling in a few Christmas card challenges lately:

I love an ad-inspired challenge and here's my card:

This card is probably my "favorite" this week:

I'm *LOVING* this set:

A fun color scheme challenge that was different for a Christmas card:

Feeling the Card Challenge Love...

The kind folks at 365 Cards have granted me two honors this week that I thought I'd share.  First, I was selected as a Spotlight Designer for this card, which I entered in the DIY challenge *here*.  Our assignment was to make a card that used a straight pin, safety pin or paper clip accent.

I *LOVE* tying a snippet of ribbon on to a paper clip.  That's one of my favorite embellies!

The second honor I received this week was to be called a Weekly Challenge All-Star, which means I completed all of the week's challenges.  I often strive to achieve this honor, because the challenges are so imaginative, inspiring and fun.  The only times when I don't try to complete all seven challenges for a week are when we're out-of-town (or CrazyBusy with soccer or sports over the weekend).

If you've never participated in one of the 365 Cards challenges, I heartily suggest you do so...  It's a terrific community of designers and participants and I'm always inspired by what I see there (and by what we're asked to create)!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Mixed Medley (W128054, C128057) *From the 2012 Holiday Catalog*

Papers:  Early Espresso (119686), Whisper White (100730), Pretty in Pink (100459), and Rich Razzleberry (115316) card stocks

Inks:  Early Espresso (126974) and Rich Razzleberry (126950) Classics

Accessories:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), 1-1/4" Circle (119861) and 3/4" Circle (119873) punches, Whisper White Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (126877) and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Take Care and a Little MOJO

This card was created for the Mojo Monday 248 and 365 CardsColor Scheme challenges.  I used my 2012-2013 Annual Catalog for my inspiration (page 90). 

I used my Paper Trimmer to make skinny strands of card stock.  I crumpled them up and used Glue Dots to adhere them down (plus the piece with the eggs helps to hold it down).

I ran the pieces of Whisper White and Pink Pirouette through the Big Shot using my Labels Collection Framelits. 

My Stamp-A-Ma-Jig helps me to accurately place my nest upon the branch.  I also used a sticky note (cut roughly in the shape of the nest) to keep the branch from running through my image of the nest (AKA “masking”). 

A snippet of Linen Thread helps to finish off the branch.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Take Care set (W126310, C126312)

Papers: Pink Pirouette (111351), Soft Suede (115318), Crumb Cake (120953), Sahara Sand (121043) and Whisper White (100730) card stocks

Inks: Pink Pirouette (127956), Soft Suede (126978), Crumb Cake (126975), Sahara Sand (126976) 

Accessories: Whisper White 3/8-inch Taffeta Ribbon (109070), Linen Thread (104199), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Scallop Edge Border punch (119882), paper snips (103579), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049)

I'm so glad you came by!  Hope your summer is treating you well!  "Take care"!  :)

Cheers to You! Water Bottle Tag

Welcome to the Studio!  This project was created for a friend who is undergoing medical treatment that requires her to increase her consumption of water.  It's a reusable water bottle and I've included some drink mixes.  I hope this makes the treatment easier for her -- she's a gem and I'm sad that she's burdened with this...

The body of the card was made with Pink Pirouette.  The other color is Baja Breeze.  These are the colors featured this week in the Dynamic Duos Challenge #11.  This card is also based upon the sketch for the 365 Cards Super Sketchy Sunday challenge.

I stamped the glass and straw in Baja Breeze and then stamped the contents of the glass a second time on another piece of Whisper White (this time in Pink Pirouette), used my Paper Snips to cut it out and mounted it with Stampin' Dimensionals to make it pop.  The flagged ends of the Baja Breeze piece were achieved with a square punch (click *here* for a post including a quick video tutorial).

I also punched a circle of Baja Breeze with my 2 3/8-inch Scallop Circle punch to jazz up the spot where the neck of the water bottle is...  I punched a 1 3/4-inch Circle through the Pink Pirouette piece, placed the scalloped circle over it and punched again from behind (wasn't sure I'd have the hand-strength to punch two layers of card stock).

The drink pouches were placed in a "pocket" made from a Decorative Label punch, popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Happy Hour (W126640, C126642)

Papers:  Baja Breeze (111352), Pink Pirouette (111351), and Whisper White (100730) card stocks

Inks:  Baja Breeze (126960) and Pink Pirouette (126956) Classics

Accessories:  Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon (122331), Decorative Label (120907), 1-1/4" Square (119865), 2-3/8" Scallop Circle (118874) and 1-3/4" Circle ( 119850) Punches, Paper Snips (103579), and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)