Just Give Me Stamps...

A Western Hello...

I am so happy Beate is back with her wonderful sketch challenges!!  Lately I have been mojo-less...and wonderful sketches are just what I need!  This week's sketch was a real life saver...as it is a simple one and came together very quickly for me!

I made this card for my friend Tosh (a.k.a stamps4funinCA on SCS).  She and her husband are stopping by for a short visit this Sunday!  Even though we've never met in person before...it feels like we've known each other for years!!  I will be putting this card (along with some little goodies) in the cabin where they will stay.  I wanted to make a western card to welcome them here (we live on a ranch), and the Wanted and Bronc Buster sets were perfect!

  

After embossing the horses (I only inked my stamp once but stamped the horse three times to achieve this look) I distressed it quite a bit (stamped the Canvas and Sanded background stamps over them, roughed up the edges, and sponged the edges).  In keeping with the "rustic" theme, I even frayed the edges of the Chocolate Twill.

Make sure to check out what Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn,Lori, Mary Jo, & Sharon have created using this sketch...they are sure to inspire you!  :-)

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!  ~Laurie

 

Inspired Thanks...

Happy Friday!!  Wooohoo for the long weekend!!  :-)  I know I've been pretty silent lately...there's just been so much going on around here...and I really needed to give my family my full attention.  Thankfully, things seem to be getting back to normal.  :-)

Have you been to the Verve blog lately?  There's a new Project Parade Challenge going on...and this time it's a color challenge inspired by the YUMMIEST looking coffee drinks!! 

Is your mouth watering yet?  I know mine is!!  In fact, for several days I felt very sorry for myself that I live so far away from...well, everything....but especially a coffee shop!  LOL! 

I've been running low on creativity lately...so I decided to use one of Julee's amazing sketches (I chose Anni-VERVE-sary sketch # 9).  After I had chosen the sketch...this card really came together quickly! 

         

   I immediately knew I wanted to use the background stamp from Grateful Elegance to create the smaller square layer. I then thought the larger scroll background from Artful Elegance would look great on the pink background layer. For the focal piece, I stamped the flower from Beautiful You first on Vanilla c.s. and then onto Pink Pirouette c.s...cut them out and then layered them for added dimension. After highlighting some of the petals, I added some sparkle with my Clear Spica Glitter pen and then applied Crystal Effects to those highlighted parts. I also added some Bronze micro beads to the center of the flower (adhered with Crystal Effects).  For the sentiment tag, I embossed "thanks a bunch" (from Grateful Elegance) onto Pink Pirouette c.s. and then punched it out with my Large Oval punch.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Grateful Elegance, Artful Elegance, Beautiful You   Paper: Vanilla c.s., Pink Pirouette, Dark Chocolate   Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip craft ink, Close to Cocoa   Other: Clear detail e.p., Vanilla e.p., Nestabilities, Lg. Oval punch, Dark Chocolate Satin ribbon, Pink Taffeta ribbon, Dew Drops, Paper piercer, Bronze micro beads, Crystal Effects

OCC Color Challenge...

Happy Saturday!  I don't know about where you live, but here it is definitely starting to feel like Fall!  It was 31 degrees this morning ( - .5 degrees Celsius) and has barely warmed up to the lower 60's.  We now have all of our jackets unpacked...and it won't be long before we'll be needing our coats!  After such a short summer, I really should be complaining....but the truth is that I LOVE Autumn.  I love the slightly crisp feel to the air, the start of school and a regular schedule, and all of the amazing colors!  Speaking of Fall colors...today's OCC challenge is to use Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and Chocolate Chip....all very Autumn-ish colors!  I love it!

Stamping for as long as I have...I have learned a few things about my "stamping style".  One of the things that I have learned is that I do better with fewer colors...which is probably why I love to make Monochromatic cards so much.  Don't get me wrong...I LOVE cards with lots of colors, I just can't seem to pull it off.  In fact, the more colors I add, the more of a disaster it is.  So, as much as I love all of the colors selected for this color challenge, I had to really think about how I was going to incorporate all of them.  I ended up using Chocolate Chip (shocker, right?  :-), Shimmery White, and Old Olive for my main colors...and adding Pumpkin Pie and Ruby Red only as accents. 

   

I have to say, I loooove how this turned out!!  It might have something to do with this stamp set (French Quarter), as it is my all time favorite Inque Boutique set!  I used one of the partial circle stamps (there are three different ones in the French Quarter set) to make my tone-on-tone embossed Chocolate Chip circle.  After the circle was stamped, I used my Coluzzle Circle Template to cut it out and then lightly sponged the edges with White craft ink.  I used Versamagic Dew Drops (in colors that match Old Olive, Ruby Red, & Pumpkin Pie) to create the variegated colors on the flower.  For the tag, I embossed the sentiment (from the Inque Boutique Birdie set) using Chocolate Chip ink and Clear Detail e.p. and then cut/embossed it by using one of the Spellbinder's Tag dies.  The pierced corners were make by using one of my Ornare Corner piercing templates (one that I've had for a while but haven't had a chance to use yet).   Oh, the rhinestones are all clear...I just used one of my Copic markers to dye the ones on the flowers.

You can see what the other girls made with these colors over at the OCC blog!  Thanks so much for stopping by today...I hope you enjoy your weekend!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: French Quarter, Birdies (Inque Boutique)   Paper: Shimmery White, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip   Ink: Chocolate Chip craft, Versamagic Dew Drops (Pumpkin Spice, Brick Red, Tea Leaves, Jumbo Java), White craft ink   Other: Clear detail e.p., Nestabilities, Spellbinder's Ribbon Tag Dies, Coluzzle, Ornare Corner piercing template, Dark Chocolate Satin ribbon (Papertrey), Clear Rhinestones, Copic marker (to dye the rhinestones)

Hi! I'm Laurie...

...and I'm a TOTAL layer addict!!  LOL!  When I was looking at my card this morning, and getting ready to write this post...it dawned on me that there are ten layers on this card!  Gasp!!  :-)  Maybe that's why this card was so much fun to make!  Heheheee!

      

I'm SO excited to be doing Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenges again!  Wooohoooo!!!  I thought this sketch would be fun paired with Verve's Cupcake Affair set!  Some of the little "extras" that I added are:  Crystal Effects on the cupcake frosting, Stardust Stickles on the flowers, Rhinestones, Chipboard swirls, Cuttlebug embossed the Blush Blossom vertical strip,stitching around the vellum circle, a button, and of course ribbon!  :-)

 

You won't want to miss seeing what Beate, Cambria, Charmaine, Jenn,Lori, Mary Jo, & Sharon   have made....they are all SO talented and will surely inspire you!!  :-)

I hope you have a fantastic Friday!!!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Cupcake Affair (Verve Stamps)   Paper: Vellum c.s., Blush Blossom, Close to Cocoa, Tres Jolie patterned paper (My Mind's Eye)   Ink: Close to Cocoa craft and classic ink, Cameo Coral   Other: Clear detail e.p., Stardust Stickles, Rhinestones, Nestabilities, Button, Sewing machine, Chipboard swirls (Maya Road), Vanilla Taffeta ribbon, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Birds and Swirls), Crystal Effects

You Made Me Smile Today...

Happy Sunday!  I had a little free time this afternoon (shocking, I know!!) so I decided to check out who the Featured Stamper is today.  I was excited to see that Jessica (aka Knightrone on SCS) is today's Featured Stamper...a very talented stamper!  I had a blast looking through her gallery and deciding which card to case!  Almost all of her beautiful creations have several layers on them...and I just happen to love layering!  LOL!  :-)

I chose THIS card to case.  I just loved the four squares behind her image!  As per the rules of the Featured Stamper Challenge, I changed at least three things:  the colors, the image (I used a cat instead of a dog), and I tweaked the layout just a little.

   

OK...honestly...isn't this the CUTEST image ever?  I think I say that about every Fluffles stamp!  Hehehee!  I just can't help it...I loooooove Fluffles!  :-)  The expressions he has just cracks me up!!

I stamped Fluffles onto watercolor paper and watercolored him using re-inkers and a watercolor brush.  Since he seems to have such a "sparkly" personality (LOL!), I gave him a little bit of shimmer by highlighting his fur with my Sakura Stardust glitter pen.  I then added some Diamond Glaze to the grasshoppers (see close-up picture below) and some Stardust Stickles to the flower centers.  After I lightly sponged the edges of the circle, I mounted it onto some patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Neenah Natural White c.s., and some Prism c.s (from the Crabapple paper pack).  I used the new With Love Cuttlebug embossing borders to create that beautiful embossed floral border.  I created custom colored rhinestones by coloring some Clear rhinestones with my Copic marker.

When I checked, I didn't see this particular Fluffles stamp in stock at Stamper's Dream store...but OH MY GOSH...she has some brand new ones in!!  There are hilarious Halloween Fluffles stamps (like THIS, THIS, & THIS)...and some adorable Christmas ones (like THIS one).  I seriously think I need that Pirate one! 

Here is a close-up picture.  You can see the shiny grasshoppers and all the sparkles I added!  :-)

 

Even though I tried and tried to figure out how to add my sentiment to the front of my card, I just couldn't make it work.  So, I added it to the inside....and decorated it a bit while I was at it!  LOL!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  ~Laurie

Supplies:   Stamps: Grasshopper Fluffles (Stampendous), Thankful Blossoms (Verve Stamps)   Paper: Watercolor paper, Neenah Natural White, Prism c.s.  Ink: Palette Noir, Sahara Sand, Classic pads for watercoloring   Other: Watercolor brush, Nestabilities, Cuttlebug With Love embossing border, Rhinestones, Stardust Stickles, Diamond Glaze, Paper piercer, Sewing Machine, Sakura Stardust glitter pen