Just Give Me Stamps...

Good Friends & Good Coffee...

...what could be better?  :-)  Happy Saturday!!  I know I've been pretty quiet lately.  The beginning of the school year just crept up on me (Hey...where did July go, anyway??) and I still have a gazillion things to do to prepare!  I have made a lot of progress...so hopefully things will return to "normal" soon.  :-)  When taking breaks from my "data entry" (I am entering all of the lesson plans for the entire year into a special school program) I was able to slip into my stamp room (somewhat un-noticed...LOL!) and get some stamp therapy in!  There are several new releases coming up  that I have been busy creating for...and I will be able to share those with you soon!  :-)

Today's OCC challenge (Our Creative Corner) is a "Limited Supplies" type of challenge.  Dawn, our hostess this month told us that we could only use 4 layers or less (GASP!) and...get this...no patterned paper!!  I KNOW what you're thinking...cause I was thinking the same thing!!!  Heeehehe!  As it turned out...when I went back to stamp I really only had a short amount of time and I was grateful for the chance to make a "simple" card!  :-)  The "no patterned paper" thing also turned out to not be as bad as I thought!  LOL  It gave me the chance to use this GORGEOUS Coffee Menu stamp by Inkadinkado to create my own background!  It was so easy...all I did was stamp in onto some Prism cardstock (OMGosh...I love the texture of this paper!!!)...sponge the edges and I was finished!!  To add some texture (which is a great way to distract from the minimal layers), I layered a strip of dk. Brown Prism c.s. across the middle, sloppily stitched (on purpose :-), and added some ribbon and Grungeboard hinges.  For the focal piece, I stamped the Cappuccino stamp (also by Inkadinkado) onto the same Prism c.s. and then popped up the cup (I don't consider this a layer :-).  I added some Diamond Glaze to the cup and placed a little red chipboard heart for just a small splash of color.

Here is a close-up photo so you can see the Diamond Glaze better.  Oh...I used my Circle Nestabilities to cut out the circles.  This next photo (of the inside) shows you how it is put together.

For the inside, I stamped the "Friends I Have" stamp (isn't that hilarious?? :-)...added some more stitching and even a few rhinestones!  :-)

I've got two more items to share with you today...so make sure to check back in a little bit!  :-)  Oh...and before I go...make sure to head over to the OCC blog and check out what the other designer have created!  :-)

Recipe   Stamps: Coffee Menu, Cappuccino, Friends I Have (all by Inkadinkado)   Paper: Shimmery Ivory c.s., Prism c.s.   Ink: Palette Burnt Umber, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa   Other: Circle Nestablities, Ribbon, Grungeboard, Sewing Machine, Diamond Glaze, Rhinestones, Copic markers

Candle Gift Set...

Happy Monday!  This post is going to be a little short...because I need to finish baking my DH's birthday cake!  Yes..today is his birthday!  :-)  Being true to his European roots...he doesn't care for "normal" cakes...LOL...but more of the "non-sweet" kind.  So, I'm baking him a non-sweet (well, it's a little sweet...hehehee!) cake that has lots and lots of berries on it (his favorite)!

 

I just had to share this sweet little gift set I made for a friend.  She LOVES the color of lavender...so I decorated this little candle (I picked it up a few weeks ago knowing that she would love it) and made a gift card to go with it.

For both the candle and gift card, I used the Lavender Bunch stamp from Rubber Soul.  I stamped it onto Solar White Neenah c.s. with London Fog Memento ink and then colored it with my Copic makers.  I then added some Stardust Stickles to the flowers...Mmmmm, mmmm I just LOVE the sparkle!  :-)

The gift card is on a vellum c.s. base with some Almost Amethyst c.s. mounted behind it (for some subtle color).

That's it!  Very easy...but I really like how it turned out...and more importantly, I think my friend will too!  :-)

Have a wonderful day!

Recipe   Stamps: Lavender Bunch (Rubber Soul)   Paper: Neenah Solar White, Almost Amethyst, Lavender Lace, Vellum c.s.   Ink: London Fog (Memento Dew Drop)   Other: Copic markers, Oval Nestabilities, Ribbon, Stardust Stickles, Rhinestones, Sewing Machine

For a Special Friend...

Happy Saturday!  Hooray for the weekend!  :-)  Not only do we get to relax a little bit...but today is also a new OCC challenge!  :-) 

This week, Dawn has created a sketch for our challenge.  I immediately thought of vellum for the left wavy strip (shocking, I know :-)!  I also wanted to use this gorgeous My Mind's Eye patterned paper.  It just sort of evolved into a monochromatic card from there...  :-)  The butterflies (from Hero Arts Designer Butterfliess set) are embossed with Clear detail e.p. onto Light Suede Prism c.s. and are layered onto some White Prism c.s. (that I cut/embossed with my Oval Nestabilities).  The "You're Special" sentiment (from Inkadinkado's Expressions set) is also embossed with Clear detail e.p. onto Light Suede Prism c.s.  I then used the largest of the three tags (from the Spellbinder's Tag Trio set) to cut/emboss into a tag.

The vellum strip looked a little plain...but I didn't want to add any more layers.  So, I brought out my Ornare piercing template and created a subtle swirly border.  :-)   For embellishments, I added some rhinestones to the butterflies, ribbon (I curled the organdy ribbon a bit and also frayed the edges of the taffeta ribbon to add some texture), and a butterfly charm.

You should definitely check out what the other talented OCC designers came up with!  And..this week, Julee Tilman is the guest designer!!  You can see them all HERE.

**OH!!  I almost forgot!  There is a great sale over at Stamper's Dream this weekend!  ALL Hero Arts stamps are 20% off!  Just use coupon code MYHERO at checkout!!  :-)

Thanks so much for visiting!  Have a wonderful Saturday!

Recipe  Stamps: Designer Butterflies (Hero Arts)   Paper: Prism c.s., Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Vellum c.s.   Ink: Versamark, Sahara Sand (for sponging)   Other: Clear detail e.p., Nestabiltiies, Spellbinder's Tag Trio dies, Kraft taffeta ribbon, Narrow white organdy ribbon, Butterfly charm, Ornare piercing template, Rhinestones

Happy Friday!

I'm sure I'm not the only one that cannot believe that it is AUGUST already!!  Wow!!  We are going to have a family meeting tonight...to try and make some plans to get as much fun stuff in this month as we possibly can!!  So far we have two camping trips (short ones...as we don't have to go very far to camp heheee!), a museum trip (they have a WAY cool Egypt exhibit...complete with Mummies LOL!), and maybe a rafting trip planned!  We all have worked so hard this summer helping DH out with the things he cannot do (he is still healing up and cannot do everything he wants/needs to yet) and really haven't done anything fun.  So...we are determined to enjoy as much as what's left of summer as we possibly can!  LOL!

I have two cards to share with you today!  :-)  The first one uses the Cross of Christ set from Our Daily Bread and some Chatterbox patterned paper.  The design is pretty simple...but that is what is appealing to me lately...simple.  :-)

   

This second card uses the Give Thanks set (also from Our Daily Bread).  The wonderful thing about the ODB stamps is that they are wonderful to color (and have helped me to improve my coloring skills), but also make beautiful monochromatic cards!  I stamped the cornucopia onto Prism cardstock (I love the texture!!!!) using So Saffron ink.  The sentiment is embossed using Old Olive craft ink and Clear detail e.p. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful Friday!!

Recipe for First Card   Stamps: Cross of Christ  Paper: Bashful Blue, Dark Chocolate, Spring Moss, Chatterbox patterned paper  Ink: Chocolate Chip craft ink, Bashful Blue   Other: Clear detail e.p., Prima flowers, Brads, Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon, Nestabilities, Corner Rounder punch, Paper piercer

Recipe For Second Card:   Stamps: Give Thanks   Paper: Prism c.s., Old Olive c.s., My Mind's Eye patterned paper   Ink: So Saffron, Old Olive, Versamark, Antique Linen Distress ink   Other: Clear detail e.p., Sewing Machine, Nestabilities, Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Buttons, Photo corner punch,