A {Peek} at My Weekend's Projects...

Our weekend was a busy one, but here's what I was able to create during the wee early morning hours (insomnia has its bennies!):

A flower for a fabric-inspired project, using the soon-to-be retired 5-Petal Flower.  I paired Very Vanilla (I love the cleanliness of muslin slipcovers, etc) with Baja Breeze.

Charming, another set that retires on May 31, includes a lovely stamp of script, including the words "inspire," "create," and "share."  I'll be sad to retire that set...

This sentiment, stamped on Tangerine Tango card stock, is from Crazy for Cupcakes, which retires on May 31. 

Of all the projects I completed this weekend, this is among my favorites.  It's a versatile design, which you'll see later this week.  It was for a Color Scheme challenge, for which I used Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Regal Rose and Crumb Cake.

Our niece celebrates her first birthday on Saturday, so I used the set, Look Who's Turning, to create a first birthday card for her.  This set and the Big Shot Texturz Plates Backgrounds 1, (which gave me the embossing on the card body) retire this month, too!

The "hello" from Tiny Teacup (another retiree) was used for the sentiment of this card...

This card was created for a challenge in which I was to use multiple sentiments...  The large one in the background is from the retiring set (one of my go-to sets), Sincere Salutations.  One can never have too many notes to say "Thank you!"

My Color Coach was my constant companion this weekend, as I tried out new color combinations.  Admittedly, some are different and some are ones I'll only use once.  I did find a few new favorites, though, and I am grateful to have it to lean on.

I appreciate your visit and I invite you back this week as I write about each of these in turn...

{Challenged}: Two-in-One Entry

This card was my entry for two challenges.  The "Shamrockin' It!" challenge at 365 Cards on St. Patty's Day and the Cardpatterns Sketch 157 inspired this card... 

I wanted a design with a shamrock that I could use year-round, so I created a shamrock using the small heart on my Heart to Heart punch.  

My color palette is courtesy of the Color Coach (Pink Pirouette, Sahara Sand, Always Artichoke).

My square punch makes for easy pennant-making (see my latest video here).

The pretty paper comes from the Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (I used it for the shamrock and the vertical pennant behind the ribbon).

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Sincere Salutations (W115068)

Paper:  Subtles Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack (117152), Sahara Sand (121043), Always Artichoke (105119), Pink Pirouette (111351), and Whisper White (100730) card stock

Ink:  Always Artichoke Classic (105219) and Stampin' Write Marker (105113) (used in the stem)

Accessories:  Color Coach (120148), Scallop Trim Border (118402), Heart to Heart (119881) and 1-1/4-inch Square (119865) Punches, Pretty in Pink 1/4-inch Grosgrain Ribbon (109032)

Happy March!

Things have been nuts (good "nuts") around here, as evidenced by the fact that I didn't post *once* in the entire month of February.  Whew!


I've been busy in the studio and I have lots to share.  Let's start with a couple of cards I made for a challenge in which I was to "scraplift" one of the designers (Hannah at 365 Cards).  I took her card (you can view it here) and just recreated it, using the delicious and *FREE* Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper ("FREE" as a Sale-a-Bration goodie).  When I finished, I worried that it was too much like Hannah's to be entered in a contest, so I changed up the color scheme.


Here's my first effort, which you'll agree is super-similar to Hannah's:

To be honest, I’m heartbroken that this DSP is only available as a freebie for Sale-a-Bration.  I love the colors and motifs.  I wasn’t sold on the piece that I used in the background of the Poppy Parade card, but once it’s cut down, the pattern isn’t too much.  It lends itself well to Hannah’s design.  I love pairing it with the Decorative Label Punch (I’ve punched two; one in Very Vanilla and one in Poppy Parade).  

The Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon and the Basic Rhinestones class it up just enough (without being gaudy).  This design makes a quick card to make for a gift set.  

One of the beauties of the Designer Series Papers is the color schemes.  I can use the colors in the palette of the DSP to guide my project.  I did *just that* when I realized that my design was too close to Hannah’s to be considered for a contest entry.  Using the DSP to guide me, I changed the color scheme of Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade and Pacific Point to Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade and Pool Party.  I also added So Saffron taffeta (because that’s just what I had) and it worked well.

We're in the final month of this year's Sale-a-Bration, so if you'd like some of this yummy Designer Series Paper, now's the time!  An order of $50 in merchandise and it's yours as a "Thank you!"

Stampin' Up! Supplies:


Stamps:  Sincere Salutations (W 115068)


Papers:  Everyday Enchantment DSP (Sale-a-Bration:  126154), Lucky Limeade (122926), Poppy Parade (119793), Very Vanilla (101650), Pacific Point (111350)


Inks:  Lucky Limeade (122935) and Poppy Parade (119782) Classics


Accessories:  Decorative Label Punch (120907), Basic Rhinestones (119246), Very Vanilla (retired) and So Saffron (122982) taffeta, Paper Snips (103579)


Stay tuned; I cranked out all kinds of projects recently and I can't wait to share!

Tied up in Knots over Christmas

*LOVE* the 365 Cards Challenges! They are always just what I need for inspiration. For this challenge, we were to use knots... Once again, I fed card stock through my Big Shot to add texture. I did this with both the Brushed Silver and Night of Navy pieces.

On Whisper White, I stamped the tree from the Snow Swirled set (inked in Night of Navy). Using Mini Glue Dots, I adhered knots of Night of Navy and Whisper White grosgrain with Silver Elastic Cord threaded through and knotted. The body of the card is Bordering Blue. The sentiment comes from the Sincere Salutations set was inked in Encore Silver and stamped on Whisper White.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Snow Swirled, Sincere Salutations

Papers: Brushed Silver, Night of Navy, Bordering Blue, and Whisper White card stocks

Inks: Night of Navy Classic and Encore Silver

Accessories: Night of Navy and Whisper White grosgrain, Silver Elastic Cord, Mini Glue Dots, Big Shot, Stampin' Up! Backgrounds I Texturz Plate

Thanks so much for visiting!