Host Set Note Card for Challenges!

I'm back! April was a fantastically busy month for my family with lots of lovely things happening, but I have just stolen a little time in the Studio! I only got one project completed so far, but here's what we've got for today.

I'm entering this project in the Mojo Monday MOJO395 and Colour Me Card CMCC69 Challenges.

I used the retiring Hello, There host set and 2013-15 In Color, Coastal Cabana, along with Real Red and Cherry cobbler.  The Burlap Ribbon and Cotton Ribbon add a bit of texture to the project. The Baker's Twine was just what I needed to finish the flag.

Since the 2014-15 Annual Catalog is in its final month (and things are selling out!), I'll be highlighting retiring items throughout the month.  Click {HERE} to read more about the retiring catalog, 

and 

click {HERE} to shop!

Say, are you on my mailing list? Drop me a line and I'll make sure you are! Are you a Studio Select Customer? If so, I'll be sending you a new 2015-16 Annual Catalog for free!

{Watercolor} Mother's Day Card

This card was created for Mother's Day and I entered it in a couple of challenges.  I *LOVE* to watercolor with my Aqua Painter and had a ton of fun putting this card together.  

First, I entered this card in The Shabby Tea Room Challenge #216.  We were given a Bingo card and asked to choose from each "winning" row.  I chose flowers, pennants and vintage trim.  I don't have vintage trim, so I used Crumb Cake Classic Ink to "tea stain" my Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon.

I also entered this card in the fun Seize the Sketch #19 challenge.  I love the sketches there!

My flower image comes from the retiring Hostess set, Simply Sketched.  Since I was going to watercolor, I inked the image in Jet Black StazOn.

By adhering a smaller layer of Calypso Coral on top of the Calypso Coral card body, I was able to hide the ends of my 1-1/4 inch Burlap Ribbon and Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon.

Don't forget to check the {Retiring Stamps} and {Retiring Accessories} Lists.  Items from both lists are only available as supplies last, so I'm checking daily to see what is running out.  If you've got something you've gotta have, please don't delay.

Stampin' Supplies:

Stamps:  Simply Sketched {Hostess} (C129672, W129669)

Papers:  Calypso Coral (122925), Watercolor (122959), Tea Lace Paper Doilies (129399)

Inks:  Jet Black StazOn (101406), Calypso Coral (126983), Crumb Cake (126975) and Wild Wasabi Classic (126959)

Accessories:  Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon (120999), 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon (132140), Aqua Painter (103954), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

{Video Tutorial} Watercolor Tulips in a Spring-y Shaped Card

Hello, Studio Visitors!  While spring has sprung, the April showers have returned to my neck of the woods.  We've got tulips and hyacinth blooming (and the raindrops on them are so pretty!).  The trees are finishing their bloom and leaves are starting to emerge.

This card was inspired by nature and the fine folks at the Colour Me Card Challenge, who put forth the challenge of using Daffodil Delight and Bermuda Bay.  I enjoyed making a shaped card, using my Labels Collection Framelits.  What a simple way to make fun, shaped cards! Click below to watch a tutorial outlining this simple process:

The Square Lattice TIEF added Easter basket-like texture to the Daffodil Delight piece and is mirrored by the Burlap Ribbon (also fed through my Big Shot with the Labels Collection Framelit).  

This beautiful image comes from a single stamp in the Occasions Catalog called Blessed Easter.  It includes the sentiment, "Wishes for a Blessed Easter," but I want to use this card all spring long, so I omitted the sentiment in my inking.  

I watercolored my blooms using the Aqua Painter and my Daffodil Delight and Bermuda Bay Classic Inks.  Since I was limited to those two colors, I had to lay down Daffodil Delight first in the stem and go over it with the Bermuda Bay to achieve something close to green.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Blessed Easter (OC, W133212)

Papers:  Bermuda Bay (131197), Daffodil Delight (119683) and Whisper White (100730) card stocks

Inks:  Jet Black StazOn (101406) and Daffodil Delight (126944) and Bermuda Bay (131171) Classic Ink Pads

Artist's Flair:  Big Shot (113439), Labels Collection Framelits (125598), Magnetic Platform (130658), Square Lattice TIEF (119976), Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (126872), Burlap Ribbon (OC, 132140), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

{Starburst} for a Mojo Sketch Challenge!

Hello, Studio Visitors!  This project is a card I made a couple of weeks ago for Mojo Monday Challenge #332.  I thoroughly enjoyed using my Starburst Sayings stamps (W133182, C133185) and coordinating Starburst Framelits dies (132967), {see them on page 34 of the Occasions catalog}. 

Another fun find in the Occasions Catalog has been the two new Tag Topper Punches found on page 35.  The one I used in this project is the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (133324) and there's also the Angled Tag Topper Punch (133323).  

Oh, and that glimmery little wisp of gold at the top?  That's from the Gold Baker's Twine (132975), found on page 24; it's also available in silver (132976)!

Don't you love that DSP {StamperSpeak for "Designer Series Paper"}?  It's the Kaleidoscope DSP (132955), found on page 27 of the Occasions catalog.  I used it to help me choose other colors in my card, such as the bright and sunny Strawberry Slush in the "oh, HAPPY DAY" sentiment, as well as the starbursts and banner below.

Guess where that delicious Burlap Ribbon (132140) came from?  You guessed it -- the Occasions catalog!  It's 1.25 inches wide and it's found on page 37.

I backed the Bermuda Bay starburst on a bit of Basic Black card stock and popped it up with a Stampin' Dimensional (104430).

{Studio} Suggestions:

• I used a tone-on-tone layer of Bermuda Bay card stock over the Bermuda Bay card body to add subtle dimension {see it best in Pic #1}; to make it stand out more, I used Stampin' Dimensionals for my adhesive layer.

• A Rhinestone Basic Jewel (119246) adds bling and mimics the circles {and starbursts!} found throughout the card.