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!

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)

Dynamic Duo Entry with Bling {Summer Silhouettes}

Happy Summer!  Here's my card for the Dynamic Duo Color Challenge for this week (I entered it in the 365 Super Sketchy Sunday sketch challenge last week, too).  I'm loving the new Summer Silhouettes set and I'm really happy with how this turned out...

I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to line up the background for the Old Olive piece.  I love that stamp!

To create two "colors" of blossoms, but still remain within in the parameters of the Dynamic Duos challenge, I stamped off the Rich Razzleberry once on scratch paper before stamping the large bloom.

Rhinestones Basic Jewels add a fun center to my bloom and a classy touch to the bottom corner of the pattern...

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Summer Silhouettes

Papers:  Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Ink:  Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive Classics

Accessories:  Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, Rhinestones Basic Jewels, Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon 

Stampin' Up! Nature Walk for Easter...

Easter is upon us!  Here's an Easter Card I made for the "Super Sketchy Sunday" challenge at 365 Cards.I am so inspired by the sketches there!

I love the earthy feel of the eggs from the Nature Walk set...

I used my Scallop Edge Border punch to create the border along the Marina Mist and that always produces a slim scrap.  You can see I added it behind the Round Tab punch with "Happy Easter."

The Scallop Trim Border punch adds further interest...

I've been busy enjoying my kids' Spring Break and sewing the girls' Easter dresses.  I'll be posting the rest of the week's projects soon!

Stampin' Up! Supplies:


Stamps:  Nature Walk (W121925, C121997), Teeny TIny Wishes (W115370)

Papers:  Crumb Cake (120953), Marina Mist (119682), Bashful Blue (105120) and Very Vanilla (101650) card stocks

Inks:  Marina Mist (119668), Bashful Blue (105209), and Crumb Cake (121030) Classics

Accessories:  Round Tab (119864), Scallop Trim Border (118402), Scallop Edge Border (119882) and Scallop Circle (119854) punches, and Paper Snips (103579)

{KISS: Keep It Simple Saturday and Sale-A-Bration Countdown}: Kindness Matters in a Simple Sketch

I love the good folks at 365 Cards and their Super Sketchy Sunday sketch challenges.  Their awesome sketch led me to this clean and simple card...

Kindness Matters, a 2012 Sale-A-Bration freebie (with any $50 merchandise order), provides us with the three butterflies.  I inked them using my Stampin' Write Markers, as they're all part of one stamp.  The markers allow me to color each one separately.  I stamped them first and then punched each out with a circle punch that fits.

The Doily Triple Layer punch is a snap to use...  I punched the So Saffron piece using the solid setting and then chose the most detailed setting (you get to choose from three settings!) to punch the Wild Wasabi piece.  Finally, a 1/2-inch Circle punch is what I used for the Rose Red center.

The doily stamp is inked in Rose Red Classic Ink and stamped along the bottom of the Rose Red piece for some subtle detail.  A length of Whisper White Satin Ribbon gives a clean, fresh bow along the bottom.

To give the circles more visual interest, I rolled each circle across my So Saffron Classic Ink Pad to give it some color along the edge.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Kindness Matters (Sale-A-Bration freebie with a $50 merchandise order!) (W127723, C127724)

Papers:  So Saffron (105118), Rose Red (102544), Wild Wasabi (108641), and Whisper White (100730) card stocks

Inks:  So Saffron (105114), Rose Red (100063), and Wild Wasabi (120975) Stampin' Write Markers, So Saffron Classic Ink (105213)

Accessories:  3/4-inch (119873), 1-inch (119868), and 1-1/4-inch (119861) Circle Punches, Doily Triple Layer Punch (122465), Whisper White Satin Ribbon (114616)

Looking for more Sale-A-Bration inspiration?  Check these posts:

{Sale-A-Bration Countdown}: Call Me!

{Sale-A-Bration Countdown}: Fresh Vintage

Happy March!

Sale-A-Bration! Why am I sale-a-brating?!

Oh, {Pennant}, how do I love thee!

A {peek} at this week's projects...

I found myself with a little extra time to create this week, so I thought I'd share some of the projects I've been working on.  Stay tuned; I’ll be posting on each project, giving you all of the details…

A quick and simple "Thank You" note for my son's basketball coach:

 "Kidoodles" isn't just for kids; its fun and light-hearted illustrations can be used for adults, too! 

I created this card for a sketch challenge last week.  I love pairing punches together.  This one is the Doily Triple Layer; I just punched one with the detail setting and one with the outline shape setting with a 1/2-inch circle in between.  So easy!

This card was created for a color scheme challenge.  Blues and greens are my favorite, so this was a breeze to make.  I love the Fresh Vintage set, which is a 2012 Sale-A-Bration freebie (only available until March 31)! 

Another entry in a sketch challenge (and an entry for a shamrock challenge).  I wanted a card I could use year-round, so here we go!  Subtles Patterns Design Series Paper Pack is what I used to make the shamrocks (that, and my Heart to Heart punch)...

Have I mentioned how much I love to mix and match punches?  This dear old one in Poppy Parade is retired (I can't bring myself to not use it, though)...  The yummy Designer Series Paper is another 2012 Sale-A-Bration freebie...  Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper is a gift with any $50 merchandise purchase (until March 31).  I'll be using every last scrap, I can assure you!

One of my favorite challenges is one based upon an advertisement.  The lovely woman who owned our home before us got the yummiest catalogs and now so do we!!  This card was created based upon a Bombay Company ad.  Don't throw those catties away until you've snipped some card inspiration from them (color schemes, design elements, fun patterns, etc).  More about this to follow in its own post *soon*.

Voila!  That's what I was able to crank out this weekend between basketball, softball, baseball, etc.  Truly a busy weekend, but those stolen moments revived me.  Check back this week for detailed posts about these (and other!) projects...

{Stamp Set Spotlight} Season of Joy: Day 4

"JOY!" is right! I have been meaning to write and publish this post for a few days now, but as luck would have it, I've been busy out with the kids, playing in the *snow*! It's a rare treat for us in the Pacific Northwest to get enough snow to sled and play in... With two snow days from school, this feels like a mini Christmas Vacation!

This card was made for another sketch challenge... I used my Color Coach for the color guidance; not a traditional combination of colors, but I really like it! We've got Elegant Eggplant, Baja Breeze and Rose Red at work here...An easy way to add oomph to a card is with a bit of texture. I used the Perfect Details Texturz Plate with my Big Shot on the Baja Breeze here...To achieve the two-tone stamping here, you can use the masked inking technique that I demonstrated in this post: http://www.studio-sara.com/2010/04/technique-video-masked-inking.html .

The sparkly brad comes from the Holiday Mini Catalog. It and four other colors can be found in the Glimmer Subtles pack.
Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Season of Joy

Papers: Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red, Baja Breeze, and Whisper White card stocks

Inks: Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red and Baja Breeze Classics

Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Details Texturz Plate, Scallop Circle and Scallop Edge punches, Rose Red stitched ribbon (retired), Stampin' Dimensionals

Thank you for visiting!

{Stamp Set Spotlight} Season of Joy: Day 3

Love the swirls in this set and this card shows them off. With a little VersaMark, they add a lot of visual interest and they were a snap to make!

This card was created for a sketch challenge at 365 Cards:

I wanted it to look like we were seeing the Christmas tree through a window... The sentiment is also part of this set. I love the dots beneath the words; there's a lot you can do with rhinestones or paper piercing to add a little more oomph to the sentiment!

The tag is made using the Ticket Corner Punch (on River Rock). I've just tied two knots in the narrow grosgrain and glued them down with Mini Glue Dots.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps: Season of Joy

Papers: Cajun Craze, So Saffron, River Rock and Whisper White

Inks: Always Artichoke Classic and VersaMark

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain, Mini Glue Dots

Thanks for the visit! Day Four of the Stamp Set Spotlight is coming soon!