Just Give Me Stamps...

Oh, So Fabulous...

Well, Sunday at Splitcoast means a brand new Featured Stamper Challenge!  Woohoo!  Jenn Balcer is the Featured Stamper this week, and does she ever have some gorgeous creations in her gallery!!  I've always been drawn to her work!  It might have something to with her brilliant use of sparkle, bling, fun colors, and gorgeous DP!  It didn't take me long to choose which card I was going to case!  I'm usually just looking for an excuse to use this wonderful bloom anyway!  This is the card I chose to case.  I added some ribbon to mine (BIG shocker, I know!!) and used some Chatterbox DP.

I had to turn it sideways so much, so that I could get a decent picture of it.  All the sparkle is so wonderful...yet so hard to photograph!  :-)  I'm willing to sacrifice, though!  LOL!!  I tied the ribbon to make it kind of look like a stem...or some leaves.

I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed Sunday!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Fabulous Flowers   Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Chatterbox DP   Ink: Night of Navy craft ink   Other: Stardust Stickles, 5/8" Old Olive grosgrain, Jewels, Ticket corner punch, Tag corner punch

Sweet & Simple Saturday...

Woohooo!  It's the weekend!  It's raining...almost snowing...here right now.  The clouds are hanging very low, covering all of the mountains...it's just so *cozy* being inside!  I've got a good cup of coffee, and a couple of fun cards to share!  (Does it get any better???  :-)

Remember last week's post where I mentioned how fun it was to "go simple"?  I enjoyed it so much I decided to devote Saturday to just that...simple!  So, today's new title is the "theme" that I will keep every Saturday..."Sweet & Simple Saturday".  After my post, I received a couple of comments/email from others who are doing the same thing!!  ((Hugs, Jen!!!)  It must be that you all are wanting to get back to basics a little, as well!  Don't get me wrong...I still love my detailed cards...and won't quit making them anytime in the near future (LOL), but it's also fun for me to have something fast (but still cute) to fall back on when I'm in a hurry.  With the holidays fast approaching (it's now snowing...not just rain...here so it's a bit easier for me to think about), who won't need some fun cards that won't take a lot of time?

For this first card, I really kept it simple!  I let the patterned paper do all the work for me!  LOL!  I also felt with these bold colors (even though they are "Earth Elements" colors, I still consider them bold) that less would be more.  For the pumpkin, I used my Stampin' Write markers to color directly onto the stamp (More Mustard, Close to Cocoa, & some Ruby Red dots) and stamped it onto Whisper White.  I guess, the most time consuming part of this card, was cutting out the pumpkin (and even that didn't take too long...those Paper Snips really make detail cutting a snap!).

For my next card, I went a little more detailed, but it still took under 15 minutes (that includes choosing the colors/stamps).

I kept the same basic layout as my first card, but just tweaked it a little.  I stamped the butterfly onto Regal Rose c.s. and cut it out with my 1 3/8" circle punch.  I then embossed the butterfly with Black e.p. onto Whisper White c.s. and cut it out (to save time, I didn't cut out the antennae).  Then, I attached it to the butterfly that I had stamped on the Regal Rose with two black brads and then "bent" the wings up a little for some dimension.  For the background, I used my So Swirly Jumbo Stampin' Around wheel with Regal Rose ink.

Thanks SO MUCH for coming by today...and I hope you all enjoy your Saturday!  I'll be back tomorrow!  ~Laurie

Recipe (card #1)   Stamps: Dotted Autumn   Paper: Pumpkin Pie Prints DP, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip   Ink: Chocolate Chip, (Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red, & Close to Cocoa) Stampin Write markers   Other: Crafter's Took Kit, Vintage brads, Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon, Scallop circle punch

Recipe (card #2)   Stamps: Priceless, So Swirly wheel   Paper: Whisper White, Regal Rose, Basic Black   Ink: Versamark, Pretty in Pink pad & marker   Other: Crafter's Tool Kit, Vintage brads, Scallop circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Black e.p., White gel pen, Corner Rounder

Weekend Sketch #21...

Happy Friday!  I'm so happy it's the weekend!  It's been such a hectic week, and I am SO ready to relax and have some fun this weekend!  Our crazy Montana weather is at it again!  We had snow this last week...but it's supposed to warm up a little this weekend!  Yay!  We are so going to take advantage of this nice weather!  One of the wonderful things about living way out in the sticks, is that we don't have to go very far to "get away"!  LOL!  So we are going to go a couple of miles from our house, build a campfire, fish, and have a WONDERFUL time!

  This is the card I made for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge.  You guys seriously need to go and check it out!!  It is SOOO much fun!  You can see the sketch and instructions HERE!

The directions for this fun File Folder card are on her site, Fresh & Fun.  For my sample, I used patterned paper from the Wintergreen Collection.  All images were embossed using Iridescent Ice e.p. (what else would you expect from me :-)?  My bow doesn't go all the way around the folder, but is secured under the top layers.  To keep the "folder" part of the card closed, I used a magnetic closing that I got at Eclectic Paperie. 

For some more gorgeous File Folder Card Samples, check out what Beate, Charmaine, Jenn, Lori & Sharon have made!

Make sure you stop back by tomorrow for "Sweet & Simple Saturday"!!  It's just a fun thing I'm doing to challenge myself to get back to basics!  Have a great day!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Season of Joy, Short & Sweet   Paper: Whisper White c.s., Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Wintergreen DP   Ink: Sage Shadow, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Versamark   Other: Lg. & Sm. Oval punches, Circle punches, Iridescent Ice e.p., Rhinestone brad, Jewels, 5/8" Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon, Magnetic snaps

Many *Blushing* Thanks...

Good morning!  I'm still out of town...but as promised, I have some "new" stuff to show you! 

 

I started with some of this yuuuuummmy "Blush" DP from Basic Grey.  I stamped my Canvas background on Vanilla c.s. with Creamy Caramel ink.  (To achieve the light, barely-there look...I sponged the ink onto the stamp.)  Then I stamped the flowers (all stamps on this card are from Verve Visual's Fancy Florals set) using Pretty in Pink and Coffee Bean Brilliance ink.  After they were stamped, I used my 1 1/4" square punch to create the perfectly centered squares.  Then, I matted it with some Chocolate Chip c.s. (punched with my 1 3/8" square punch) and "popped" them up with some Stampin' Dimensionals.

I'm not sure you can see all of this from the photo, but there is some Chocolate Chip satin ribbon going over the pink strip (but under the squares).  I "tied" the pink taffeta ribbon to that Chocolate Chip satin ribbon and glued the ends underneath the pink stamped strip.  (I hope that makes sense...it's really late when I'm writing this..LOL!)  For the sentiment, I wanted to "frame it" a little and also tie in the wonderful pattern in the DP, so I chose to use a Die Cut that I made with my Cuttlebug.  Of course, I had to finish it off with some pink jewels!  :-)

Thanks SO much for coming by...and I hope you all have a great day!  I'll be back tomorrow with such a FUN project!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Fancy Florals (from Verve Visual   Paper: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Basic Grey Blush DP, Very Vanilla   Ink: Pretty in Pink, Creamy Caramel, Coffee Bean Brilliance, Chocolate Chip   Other: 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" square punches, Cuttlebug, Jewels, Chocolate Chip satin ribbon, Pink taffeta ribbon

A Very Merry Santa...

I just couldn't resist doing another Sketch Challenge card!  :-)  Even though I've been using other sets, it's this one that has been on my mind!  I can't get enough of this super cute Santa!

O.K...here's the details.  I started with a 5 1/4" Old Olive card base.  I stamped Santa in Black Stazon ink onto Watercolor paper and then I paper pieced his suit and hat with Real Red c.s.  I used white Liquid Applique on his beard and mustache.  The stars have Red Stickles on them and I put Lime Green Stickles on his buttons.

I wanted to ask you all a question.  Have any of you tried the Craft & Paper Scissors from the Stampin' Up! catalog?  I was hoping that they might help make nice cuts in the new 5/8" grosgrain ribbon.  I've found that if I can make a perfect cut the first time...it looks good.  But this 5/8" grosgrain does not make good "second chance" cuts!!  (By that I mean, re-trimming it once it's already cut.)  Anyway, if you have them, please leave a comment on this post and let me know what you think of them.

I will be out of town (again) for a few days, but I have some cards scheduled to post while I'm gone...so make sure to check back!  Have a wonderful Wednesday!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Naughty or Nice, Short & Sweet   Paper: Watercolor paper, Real Red, Old Olive, Dasher DP   Ink: Black Stazon, Basic Grey   Other: Stickles, Word Window Punch, Jewels, Ribbon, Liquid Applique