New Beginnings

 I'm playing along with this week's Global Design Project Theme Challenge: New Beginnings.
I have certainly decided that I need more baby and shower cards added to my collection.  Although this cute little card took awhile, I think I shall make a few more. This is a great 'New Beginning' card for a new baby- boy, girl, or unknown.  Most of the paper was left over from my stash.  The background is from the 6 x 6 pack of DSP Tutti Frutti. Oh, oh, I forgot about the Tutti-Frutti Adhesive-Backed Sequins I have.  Pumpkin Pie would look great. I may add those for a little bling.
I never thought I would use the sentiment from Sweet Little Somethings before I use the cute stuffed bunnies on a card.  I plan on using the cute little stuffed bunnies on another baby card, seeing as I need more.  Keep checking back for when I post one of those cute bunny cards.  I've seen so many idea on Pinterest for Sweet Little Somethings.

GDP project New Beginnings

What I did for this Themed project:
Stamps and Products:

Cardstock: 

Whisper White (SU!) 11 x 8 1/2- scored at 5 1/2, small piece to stamp elephant

Tutti Frutti(DSP SU!) 5 1/4 x 4 

Scraps for the balloons, and sentiment

Thin Dimensionals to give a little lift to the elephant

Stamps: Sweet Little Somethings (SU!)

Balancing Elephant Clear Stamp Set 11085MC (Inky Antics)
Ink/Colors:
Moments Black Ink
Copic: C1
Stampin' Blends: Light Smoky Slate, Bronze, Ivory
White Signo Uniball
Here's a closer look:

Products:

 

Sticky back sequins (didn't use, but should)

Tutti Frutti DSP

Balloon Bouquet

Sweet Little Somethings

Good Luck!

CAS(E) This Sketch #256

When I saw the Sketch this week for CAS(E) This Sketch, I thought I was going to have a little trouble.  As I thought a little about it, I pictured dice rolling.  This card was entirely done using my Cricut Explore Air.  I hope you like my take on this week's Sketch. I used a variety of shades of scrap gray cardstock, some Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black. I popped up one of the die to give the appearance of movement.

What I did:

Stamps and Products:

Cardstock: 

Smokey Slate (SU!) 11 x 8 1/2- scored at 5 1/2

Cherry Cobbler (SU!) 5 1/4 x 4 

Variety of Gray for the squares and sides of the dice

Thin Dimensionals to give a little lift to the Sentiment and Top die.

Sweeeet!

 This week I am entering a single card into two challenges. This is the first time I have participate din a Global Design Sketch Challenge. I tried to stay true to the original sketch.  I don't have the Lots of Labels Framelits, so I got creative with my Scallop Topper punch.  I also use my favorite Triple Banner punch and centered my small banners so I avoided having to hand cut the banners. I can never make my banners even.
The Global Challenge Sketch is below.

 I am also submitting this design for this week's Muse Challenge. I took inspiration from the Sweet sentiment, the sweet stamps, and the strawberries.

Here are my inspirations and Challenge sketches for this week:

Global Design Project

Muse Challenge #250

What I did:

Stamps and Products:

Stamp: Sweet thing stamp from (Penny Black (Michael's Store))

Sentiment: Cool Treats (Stampin' Up!)

Paper: Tutti Frutti DSP (SU!) cut 4 x 2

Cherry Cobbler cut 11 x 8 1/2, scored at 4 1/4,  Banner 5 x 1

Whisper white 4 x 5 1/4,  small banners 2 1/4 x 3/4 and 4 x 2 for Scallop punch.

Triple Banner Punch

Scallop Tag Topper

Tuxedo Black (Momento)

Stampin' Blends 

Dress,hair band, bow, and cherry: Cherry Cobbler light & dark

Hair: Ivory and Bronze

Flower: Daffodil Delight light

Copics

Skin: E00, R01

Cupcake: R01,R20,R22

Wings: YG41

Mini Dimensionals

Cool Treats

Scallop Tag Topper

Stampin' Blends

Tutti Frutti 6x6 pack                                                   

Twice as Nice

I'm trying to get in the habit of making two cards at the same time.  Once I sketch out an idea and I play around with images- I may as well make 2 cards.  Here is the card I am submitting for this week's Global Design Challenge. I love the idea of a challenge just giving you the color palette.  The Sweet Sugarplum and Peekaboo Peach compliment each other so nicely.  I'm not so sure how I feel about the Bermuda Bay in there.  I created this card using two of my favorite items, right now.  I used the Stitched framelits and the Party Panda Sale-A-Bration set.  One card I used the Sweet Sugarplum as the card base, the other I used white.  I like the sweet sugarplum.  I also popped the little Panda guy up using dimensionals.

What I did:
Stamps and Products:
Party Panda (SU! 2018 Sale-A-Bration)
Sentiment: Cool Treats (SU!)
Sweet Sugarplum cardstock(SU!) cut 11x 4.25 scored at 5.5, 2 x 4.25 strip, & a scrap for the balloon
Peekaboo Peach cardstock(SU!) 5.25 x 4
Bermuda Bay cardstock(SU!) Large stitched framelit
Whisper White cardstock(SU!) Second to the large framelit
Basic Black ink
Mini Dimensionals (SU!)

Stitched Framelits

Triple Banner Punch

Cool Treats

Party Pandas

 

Valentine's Day

What are you doing for Valentine's Day? This is one of the days during the year the school, that I work at, has classroom celebrations.  The students give each other Valentines, students dress in pink and red, and the PTO organizes games and activities  It's great fun!  As an adult I don't have much reason to pass out Valentines.  I'll give one to my hubby and to my daughter.  I don't tend to pass them out to my friends, nor my daughter's friends- she's 19 - today! I did want to work on some Valentine ideas to see what I may go with.  Today I created this Valentine, based off the sketch by Donna Mikasa from over at Cas(e) this sketch.

Cas(e) this sketch challenge #255

What I did/supplies I used:

Simon Says Stamp! January Card Kit of the Month - all paper and cut outs from this kit.

Simon Says Stamp! December Kit Glittery silver paper

Banner triple Punch (SU!)

Paper Snips

This week's sketch

Dimensionas (SU!)

Inspiration from Case(e) This Sketch by Donna Mikasa

I subscribe to Simon Says Stamp! Card Kit of the Month.  All these supplies are from the January kit.  The glittery silver paper is leftover from the December Card kit.  There was no stamping involved with this card.  I just cut out these pieces, layered and glued them down. 

I love getting these kits every month.  I subscribe to Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin, too.  The kits come on different days.  It's so exciting to open these boxes as soon as they come in.





Supplies:

paper snips

Mini Dimensions

For My Friend

HLS Friend Challenge

Entering another challenge.  I joined Happy Little Stampers January Friend Challenge.  I tried to keep this one pretty simple with only a few elements and to keep the focus on Friend.  I used SU! paper and twine.  I used a retired Stampin' Up corner punch I used some stamps from Hero Arts that I had in my stash from years ago.  The Friend definition stamp is a fun one.  There are 4 clear stamps in this set and I have not used any of them, yet. The definitions are for: happy, friend, thank, hello.  I need to get creative and see how else I could use this set.

...It's Still Snowing

What would you do if you were off work, it was 10 degrees outside, and snowing for 10 hours straight with no sign of stopping? Design a card of course!.  Here is my snowing little friend 'Snow-one Like You' entered in this week's Muse challenge.  I received my Brusho Crystal colors a few weeks ago, but have been wanting to research before diving in.

What I did:

Stamps & Products:

Frozen Friends (Nook Designs) 

Paper:  Whisper White Cardstock (SU!) 11 x 8.5 (scored at 4.25), 2 x 1inch strip

Paper Denim .75 x 1.75

Water color paper (SU!) cut at 5 3/8 x 4 1/8

Ink: Tuxedo Black Momento Ink

Versa Mark

White Embossing Powder

Copics: B00, B02, BG10, C1

Stampin' Blends: Light and Dark Smoky

Prussian Blue Brusho

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Pearl

nuvo Crystal Drops- Ebony Black

novo Glitter drops-White Blizzard

Heat tool

Stampin' Spritzer

Big Shot

I stamped several snowflakes on the water color paper with Versa Mark, added the white embossing powder and heat set.  Once it was dry I was ready to start the fun!

I started by lightly spraying the water color paper with Stampin' Spritzer.  I poked a single hole in the Brusho and lightly tapped the powder out.  As it spread I sprayed with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist- Pearl.  This gave the desired water along with a glimmer snow-like effect.  I allowed it to dry.  I learned a little trick.  If your paper curls as it dries, put it between a folded piece of copy paper and run it through your Big Shot without any dies.  While drying I stamped my snowman image on scrap paper, colored it with Copics and Stampin' Blends and cut it out, leaving a little white space.  I stamped the sentiment using Versa Mark, added the white embossing powder and heat set.  I added nuvo Crystal Drops- Ebony Black to the buttons and White Blizzard to the snow bank and ball on the hat.Once all was dried I assembled the card.  It's a little easier to see the glimmer that the Glimmer mist adds in the following picture:

The Inspiration for this card came from Tracey McNeely.  I saw the background and thought, "this is the week I break out my Brusho Crystals."  I also kept the wintery critter and message towards the bottom of the card.  Thanks for the great card idea, Tracey.

Muse Challenge Inspiration Card

Product links:

Brush Crystals

White Embossing Powder

Stampin' Spritzer

Watercolor Paper

VersaMark

147475 Stampin' Blends

Dapper Denim

Big Shot

My First Muse

One of my New Year's Resolution was to participate in some challenges and put some of my cards out there.  Muse is a Weekly Challenge that I joined and I am posting my first card for the Muse Challenge.  The inspiration for this card:

I loved the idea of Something simple in the middle and a design trailing off.  I kept the design idea the same, colored in my flowers with Stampin' Blends and Copics, but rotated the card.

Here is my take on this beautiful card by Anita Bowden:

Muse Challenge #248

What I did:

What I did:

Stamps & Products:

Flourishing Phrases (SU!)

Paper: Perfect Plum (SU!) 8.5 x 11, scored at 4.25

Whisper White Cardstock (SU!) 5.25 x 4

Ink: Tuxedo Black Momento Ink

Stampin' Blends: Rich Razzleberry Light (SU! BLENDS)

Copic: YG45, YG09

141534 Flourishing Phrases

115316 Rich Razzleberry

Party Pandas

I'm enjoying the new Party Panda Sale-A-Bration
set.

Here are a couple cards I came up with. The first one I used a few other products hanging around my craft room. I also added Amazing You to this one.   I absolutely love the Stitched Framelits Set.

What I did:

Stamps & Products:

Party Panda Stamps (SU! Sale-A-Bration 2018) 

Sentiment:Amazing You (SU! Sale-A-Bration 2018)

Stitched Framelits Circles (SU!)

Tag punch

Black ribbon 

Iridescent Sequin assortment

Paper: Whisper White Cardstock (SU!) 11 x 8.5 (scored at 4.25) , Basic Black Cardstock (SU!) 4.25 x 1.25, Whole Lot of Lovely DSP (SU!) 4.25 x 5.5

Ink: Tuxedo Black Momento Ink

I stamped my images first.  Always stamp first- see why here.  Just cut all the pieces out after stamping and put the card together.

For my next card, I wanted to use the Stampin' Blends.  I am getting the hang of these.  The trick for coloring balloons is to actually start with the darker blend first, along the edge of the balloon and flick toward the center.  Next, build with the lighter one.  I did go back in with the color lifter to pull back some color.  Coloring these balloons in really had me wanting more of a Garden Green color- the love just doesn't seem to match with the other primary-like colors.  What do you think?   I also used a few other stamp sets to create this card. I love mixing the Balloon Celebration set with this to get the different sized balloons.  I also masked the balloons off to get them to look like they are hiding behind one another.

What I did:

Stamps & Products:

Party Panda Stamps (SU! Sale-A-Bration 2018) 

Balloon Celebration (SU!)

Sentiment:Big Day (SU! Sale-A-Bration 2017)

Paper: 2 Whisper White Cardstock (SU!) 11 x 8.5 (scored at 4.25),  5.25 x 4

 Basic Black cardstock 5.5 x 4.25(SU!)

Ink: Tuxedo Black Momento Ink

Stampin Blends: Daffodil, Cherry, Night of Navy, Old Olive, Smoky Slate(light only)

I stamped the various images with Momento Tuxedo Black and made sure it dried. I started with the smallest ballon and only worked one balloon at a time.  I also alternated the same colors in the word BIRTHDAY.  At the end I felt like Panda needed to look grounded.  So I added a little of the light smoky slate under him.

145372 Stitched framelits

Sale-A-Bration 2018

144212 Iridescent Sequin assortment

140675 Balloon Celebration

Stampin' Blends 

132708 Tuxedo Black