One Of The Good Ones

Hi Stamping Friends!

Most of the time when I particpate in any online papercrafting challenge, I always find myself taking the challenges too literally.  I do the sketch EXACTLY like it's shown.  I use the EXACT colors they say, and even when it's an inspiration challenge, I tend to make it look EXACTLY like the inspiration photo.  I love to see when other (more creative!) stampers take a sketch or inspiration and really make it their own.  I try to break out of my mold occasionally, but it's difficult!  It must be that first-born trait of mine to do things EXACTLY right.  Artistically speaking, it can be very frustrating!  That's what happened with today's card.  I think I just got too literal with both challenges.

SMARTY PANTS

For this card I used the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #58 from the HOPE STAMPS ETERNAL blog.  I usually use a cupcake image for this challenge, but when I saw this sketch from the SKETCH GIRL blog, the two just seemed to fit together.  So then I decided to recreate the cupcake tops on each of the four circles.  Again, too literal!

I do love this fun sentiment.  It comes from the Smarty Pants set.  I haven't given my mom her Mother's Day card yet.  I think I'll give her this one instead.  It's the perfect sentiment for her.  She is one of the "good ones"!  I think it's funny, now that SU! has announced the colors that are retiring, it seems that I keep using those colors!  I haven't used Green Galore in forever, and I think I've used it three times in the last two weeks.  Go figure!  The card base is Pixie Pink, layered with Green Galore and Sweet Pea DSP.  I hope they have something similar to the Sweet Pea pack in the next big catty.  That pack was so popular, that it sold out before the mini catalog ended!  The other two colors I used on this card are Only Orange and So Saffron.  The Sizzlets I used are: Little Leaves, Floral Fusion, Birds & Blooms, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, and the Paisley Texturz Plate.  That another thing I'm looking forward to seeing int he next catalog, what new Big Shot stuff they will have. I {LOVE} my Big Shot!  It is my most used stamping tool.

Make sure you stop back by tomorrow and see my creations for the STAMPIN' INSPIRATION challenge.  I hope you'll play with us this week!  Just to see what an out of this world challenge it's going to be, here's a little sneak peek...

SMARTY PANTS   #115070   $18.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Baptism Mojo

Hi Stamping Friends!

This Sunday my brother and his wife will baptize their daughter, Lindsay Marie.  For once in my life, I have the card done already, instead of trying to scramble on the day of the party!

REFUGE AND STRENGTH

The two challenge I used today are the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #57 from the HOPE STAMPS ETERNAL blog.  And the Mojo Monday sketch challenge #137 from the MOJO MONDAY blog.  I was inspired by the beautiful work of Teresa Kline at her blog: Enjoy the VA Sunshine.  Mine isn't quite as fabulous as hers, but I am happy with the way it turned out.  I didn't have a great "baptism" sentiment, but I thought the word WONDERFUL summed up the event perfectly!  It was really hard not to create another cupcake card for the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge.  But since I don't own that many cupcake stamps, I thought I would go with something a little different this time.  I used the pink and green colors, along with the swirls and flowers as my inspiration for this card.  The colors I used are Pretty In Pink, Certainly Celery, and Kraft.  The damask stamp image is from the Friends 24-7 set.

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow when I reveal the debut challenge of our STAMPIN' CELEBRATION inspiration challenge blog.  The samples from the design team are absolutley amazing!  I'm so excited for you to see what they have done!!!

Refuge and Strength   #115056   $23.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Cupcake SFYTT

Hi Stamping Friends!

Sorry I'm posting a little late today.  I just didn't have any stamping mojo in me yesterday, while it was daylight, so I had to wait to take a picture of my card this morning.  'Course being on the West Coast puts me really behind most of you!

Isn't that bow just obnoxious?!  I think I'll take it off before I try and sell it.  I just stuck it on with a Dimensional.  You can barely see the sketch under there!

This card combines two challenges.  The first is one of my new favorite challenges, the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge over at the Hope Stamps Eternal blog.  This is CIC56.  The second challenge is the Sketch For You To Try over at Jen Del Muro's blog, i{heart}2stamp. 

The colors I used are Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom, Pretty In Pink, and Very Vanilla.  The cupcake image comes from the Crazy For Cupcakes set.  The sentiment comes from Wow Flowers. 

Be sure to check out my new inspiration challenge blog tomorrow, STAMPIN' CELEBRATION.  We will be announcing our Design Team.  And I'm so excited to share these awesome stampers with you!

Also, on Friday, you'll want to come back here again for the most fabulous STAMPIN' ADDICTS blog hop ever!  We will be showcasing all the amazing items out of the new Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalog.

CRAZY FOR CUPCAKES   #111618   $23.95

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Stamping 411 Cupcakes

Hi Stamping Friends!

I didn't have time to finish a card yesterday.  Poor me!  My two oldest kids have been super busy with sports and music practices.  This is what my day looked like yesterday:

8 am workout
10 am coffee with friends
12 pm grocery shop Target
2 pm grocery shop Costco
4 pm DS & DD music practice
5:30 pm DS swim practice
6 pm DD 2nd music practice
7 pm DD swim practice
8:30 pm pick up DS & DD from practice

Oh yeah!  And I almost forgot, I'm supposed to be homeschooling somewhere in there!  :)  Needles to say, I felt like I was in the car ALL day yesterday.  Especially because a few times we waited for practices to start or end, instead of going all the way back home.  My poor 4yo DS was so tired by the end of it all.  When we finally got home at 9pm, he said he didn't want to go in the car again!  I totally agreed.  I finally got to do some stamping at about 10 pm last night.  I finished the card this morning and had to take a picture.

This card is for two challenges.  The sketch is from the STAMPING 411 blog.  This is sketch SSC147.  It's also for the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge over at the HOPE STAMPS ETERNAL blog.  This is inspiration CIC55.

The card base is Chocolate Chip layered with Whipser White that was embossed with the Swirls Texturz Plate.  The next layer is Cameo Coral with some Pink Flamingo DSP.  The stamp set is a Level 3 Hostess Set called The More The Merrier.  I was so fortunate to find a fellow SU! demo who was willing to part with an extra.  I think this set is adorable, but I really needed that cupcake stamp!  I know the whole cupcake craze coming to an end, but cupcake cards sell like wild fire over at The Frosted Muffin, where I have my cards for sale.  So even if I'm a has-been, behind the times sorta stamper, if I can make a little extra moola, so be it!  The little flower was made using the Boho Blossom punch.  I just cut the petals so it would bend a little more.

At least I did get tomorrows card finished already.  Now I just need to stamp 25 sailboats from the Nursery Necessities set and finish up my mission cards.  Plus do the laundry and get ready to teach my Bible lesson to the 5th and 6th graders at church tonight.  The fun never ends!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Doubly Sweet Challenges

Hi Stamping Friends!

Have you ever made a card that just makes you smile every time you look at it?  Well that's what this card does for me.  I just LOVE how it turned out!!

Isn't it yummy?!  I combined two "sweet" challenges for this card.  The colors were inspired from the HOPE STAMPS ETERNAL blog.  This is Cupcake Inspiration Challenge #54 CIC54.  The sketch comes from THE SWEET STOP sketch challenge blog.  This is Sweet Stop Sketch #51 SSS51.

Isn't this a super fun sketch?!  Just the right amount of details without being busy.  For my inspiration, I used the front cupcake and chose the colors Regal Rose, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, and Very Vanilla.  And of course I had to use a cupcake!  Plus I loved the rose itself and the little lacey leaves.  My card base is Chocolate Chip layered with Old Olive and Regal Rose that has been embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder.  The DSP is from the Sending Love Specialty pack, that is still available through April 30th.  The cupcake image comes from the Crazy For Cupcakes set, and the sentiment comes from Birthday Bliss.  I used my SU! markers to color the cupcakes and I blinged up the frosting with a little Dazzling Diamonds.  The roses were made using the Flower Fusion Sizzlet die and the leaves are made with the Little Leaves Sizzlet.

CRAZY FOR CUPCAKES   #111618   $23.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!