{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)

Stampin' Up! 2014 Sale-A-Bration {Studio-Sara} Countdown: You're Lovely

This lovely stamp set is You're Lovely, a Sale-a-Bration (SAB2014) freebie (page 14, W133575 C133578) with a $50 merchandise purchase until March 31.

Rhinestone Basic Jewels (AC page 171, 119246) add a fun and sparkly touch of class to this lovely stamp.  I also love how the Square Lattice TIEF (AC page 191, 119976) mimics the background of the stamp.

I used the same TIEF in this project, created for challenges with The Shabby Tea Room and CASology.

I created this card for a Mojo Monday MOJO334 and Cute Card Thursday 310 challenge.

The DSP is a Sale-A-Bration freebie, Sweet Sorbet (SAB page 11, 133521).  The Pool Party pieces were run through my Big Shot (AC page 184, 113439) with the Fancy Fan TIEF (AC page 191, 127751).  The little piece was punched using the Little Labels Punch Pack (AC page 181, 126881).  The Basic Black flower on top came from the Itty Bitty Shapes page (AC page 180, 118309) and the center for the flower is from the Cupcake Builder Punch (AC page 181, 121807).

There are more Sale-A-Bration projects to come, but time is running out.  The deadline to order is Monday, March 31.  Click {HERE} to order.

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)

Simple {Summer Afternoon} Card for Challenges

This card was created for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #38 and the 365 Cards ABCs & 123s Challenge.  Summer Afternoon is a fun new Hostess Set.  I inked it in Early Espresso Classic Ink and then used my Crumb Cake, Perfect Plum and Cherry Cobbler inks and my Blender Pen to color in the design.

Tiny Tags provides quick and easy sentiments to personalize your projects.  I *LOVE* this set...  I punched the tag with the Jewelry Tag punch and sponged it with Cherry Cobbler Classic ink.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Summer Afternoon (W126425, C126427), Tiny Tags (W118901, C118592)

Papers:  Crumb Cake (120953), Cherry Cobbler (119685), and Very Vanilla (101650) card stocks

Inks:  Crumb Cake (126975), Cherry Cobbler (126966), Perfect Plum (126963) and Early Espresso (126974) Classic Inks

Accessories:  Big Shot (113439), Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (119976), Jewelry Tag (117190) and 1/16-inch Handheld (101227) punches, Perfect Plum Taffeta Ribbon (122987), Linen Thread (104199), Blender Pen (102845), Stamping Sponges (101610) and Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)