ColourQ #70

Hi Stamping Friends!!
It's ColourQ Tuesday and Arielle gave us some yummy colors to work with this week.  I told you she was a sweetie!  I just LOVE this color combo and it was very fun being able to work with the retired Cameo Coral.  That was one of the SU! colors I was sad to see go.

CRAZY FOR CUPCAKES

Stamps:  Crazy For Cupcakes, Birthday Bliss, Tart and Tangy

Paper:  Early Espresso, Blushing Bride, Poppy Parade, Cameo Coral, Whisper White, Pattern Prints Pack DSP, Pink Flamingo DSP (retired)

Accessories:  Scallop Circle Punch, Circle Punches, White Satin Ribbon, Mat Pack, Paper Piercer, Perfect Polka Dots EF, Crystal Effects

Techniques: Paper Piecing

Sketch Challenge:  Sweet Sunday Sketch SSSC102

I know, not very original with the cupcake, but how can you look at that darling apron and not want to stamp a yummy cupcake?!!  I really love how this card turned out.  Except for my one "duh!" moment. After I added Crystal Effects to the "sprinkles" I wondered why didn't I color them Poppy Parade before I made them so pretty and shiny?  I suppose they could just be sugar crystals instead of sprinkles, but it would have just added that little extra "wow" if they had been another color.

I hope you have a chance to stop by the ColourQ this week and see all the sweet creations from the other Design Team members.  Maybe it will inspire you to stamp something yummy as well!

Stop by tomorrow for My Digital Studio Digi Wednesday.  I found a fun year-long scrap challenge I want to participate in.  And I just bought a TON of new downloads for My Digital Studio (and got to reap the benefits of Sale-A-Bration!).  At the rate it took to download just one pack of digi DSP, it may take me two years to get everything onto my computer.  :)

If you would like to take advantage of the fabulous Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration promotion, check out MY WEBSITE.  Click on the SHOP NOW button and start celebrating!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

ColourQ #53

Hi Stamping Friends! 

You know the old saying, "Better late than never."?  Well that's the story of my life right now!  Typically, I am not a person who likes to be late.  I have a friend who is (almost) always late to everything!  We know this and expect it and love her anyway.  :)  But I'm not usually like that... not usually!  Except somehow I jumped on this merry-go-round called "high school aged child" and I don't know when I'm going to get off!  So until it slows down, (which doesn't look like anytime soon!) I'm thinking I might be late more often than I like!

Thankfully, Arielle over at the ColourQ is one of those super sweet, little southern gals.  (She called me once and I just melted over her southern accent!)  And she is soooooo accomodating to  flaky  busy moms like myself.  So just this morning (it IS still morning on the west coast!) I whipped up this card and was actually happy with how it turned out!

AVIARY

Such super fun colors this week!!  The card base is Baja Breeze layered with a piece of Island Oasis DSP.  The Pear Pizzazz DSP is from the In Color Paper Stack.  The Baja flower is made using the Cherry Blossom Sizzlet Die.  And the "hello" sentiment comes from the Hello Again set.  I got this set free during SAB last year and the only stamp I've used so far is this one.  But I've used it a TON of times!  I love that one little word.  :)  Of course in a rush like this to make a card, there was no way I could come up with a sketch of my own, so I used the Karen Giron's sketch over at the sweetest thing blog.

I hope you can play along with us this week over at the ColourQ.  Remember, don't be late like me!  Link your card by Sunday at noon and you could be crowned the next Colour Queen!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #12

Hi Stamping Friends!  Well I think I might be getting back into the stamping mood.  And these gorgeous pics from the latest Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge sure helped me get over my slump.  I just LOVE the bright, citrusy colors!!  They just make my lips pucker and my mouth water and make we crave a glass of my grandma's fresh lemonade.  My grandpa and grandma has two lemon trees in their backyard.  Grandpa would pick them and grandma would juice them and freeze the juice.  She would make us lemonade everytime we came to visit.  Which was a lot!!

I used the colors in the inspiration pic and combined them with the sketch challenge over at The Sweet Stop blog.  I just realized after uploading the pic of the sketch that I left off one of the main panels.  Whoops!  I did remember to use a tag though.  That was the bonus part of the challenge.  Well, I like how this card turned out anyway.  I used a lot of my "favorites" on it.

ON A PEDESTAL

It was fun to play with some new stuff.  The card base is Whisper White layered with Pear Pizzazz.  The Pumpkin polka dot DSP is from the Island Oasis pack from the Summer Mini Catalog.  The flowers ( Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie) were made using the Floral Fusion Sizzlet die.  The white brads are topped with the Jewels Basic Rhinestones.  The cake pedestal also has some of the Jewels Basic Pearls.  I LOVE the SU! Jewels!!!  I love that they come in multiple sizes.  I love that they are self-stick.  And I love the price!!  They are only $4.95 for 150 pieces!!!  You can't beat that!

After making this card, I decided I "need" to get the Jewelry Tag punch and Tiny Tags stamp set.  How have I lived this long without them?!

I hope you will play along with us this week at the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge!  I can't wait to see what bright, cheerful creation you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Cheep Talk Inspiration

Hi Stamping Friends!

I had a lot of fun making today's card.  I got to use lots of bright, cheerful colors and lots of happy DSP.  What's happy DSP?  Any patterned paper that makes you smile.  :)

CHEEP TALK

I used the inspiration challenge from the PALS PAPER ARTS blog.  This is challenge PPA41.  At first I was going to make a card using Real Red, So Saffron, and Baja Breeze.  Then I realized everyone was using those colors for the challenge, so I went with something totally different!  I used the fun bird plate as my inspiration.  It has lots of juicy colors to choose from.  The sketch comes from Karen Giron's blog, the sweetest thing.  This is Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 68.  Great sketch to use up scraps of DSP, and to add lots of color to your card.

The card base is Orchid Opulence.  The DSP is frm Pink Flamingo, Sweet Pea, and some really old stuff I am too lazy to look up the name to.  :)  The little birdie was stamped in Pacific Point with a Tempting Turquoise wing.  The branch is Green Galore.  The flowers are Yoyo yellow, and the sentiment is Tangerine Tango.  A nice mix of retiring and returning colors.  The ribbon is really old retired SU! stuff.  It's called Apple Green.  Speaking of retiring colors, if you want to stock up on them, you better place your order ASAP as supplies running low.  And once it's gone, it's gone!!

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow and see the awesome color combo Arielle picked for this week's ColourQ.  On Wednesday, I hope to have a cupcake challenge card and Thursday will be the second STAMPIN' CELEBRATION inspiration challenge.  Wow!  What a fun week of stamping goodness!

CHEEP TALK   #113204   $26.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

The Sweetest Sketch

Hi Stamping Friends!

I'm going to make this quick this morning.

This card combines the sketch challenge from Karen Giron's blog, the sweetest thing.  She always has fun, simple sketches.  The color challenge comes from one of me favorite color challenge blogs, The Color Throwdown.  Why don't you stop by and play along!  If it wasn't for challenge blogs, I wouldn't know what to stamp!  There is hardle a creative bone in my body.

Don't forget to stop by the STAMPIN' CELEBRATION blog and see who are fabulous Design Team members are.  We made sure to pick some of the best stampers out there!

Also, tomorrow I will be in a Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini catalog blog hop.  Stop by, join the hop and see lots of awesome stamping ideas using all the fabulous new products from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalog.  I hope you'll join us!

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!

Baby Jesus Is Born

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well today's double challenge nativity card has lots of "new" stuff.  Well, it's only new to me!  I bought the Stampin' Up! set Baby Jesus Is Born, before it retired.  I haven't touched until today!  I even had to cut it out.  Yes, it's that old!  No die cut rubber.  Boy, I sure don't miss the good ole days when it comes to cutting out stamp sets.  I'm spoiled with the die cut rubber.  Once in a while I'll cut something that leaves an edge, or if the center needs to be cut out, but otherwise I just punch them out and mount them.  The other "new" item I used was my Watercolor Pencils.  I know they are not new in the sense that they have been around for years, but I just recently bought them and today was the first time I used them.  And I love them!  I wish they came in all 48 SU! colors.  I used them with my Blender Pens, and it was soooo easy!

I also have a new-to-me challenge that I played in.  It's from the Embellish Magazine blog.  Very cool inspiration pieces.  This was their Snowflake Color Challenge, and I just realized that I was supposed to include a snowflake.  Ooops!  Oh well!  Next time I'll play by the rules.  I also used the sketch from Karen Giron's blog The Sweetest Thing SSSC49.  Here are the challenge pieces:

And here's my card:

Maybe my star will pass for a snowflake!  I wanted to keep the card simple, so the image takes center stage.  Sometimes I get a card so full of stuff you don't know what to look at it.  I think Dawn McVey at her blog My Favorite Things, does a fabulous job of keeping a card simple but interesting.  She has a great style that I love to be inspired by.  My card base is Kraft.  The DSP is a scrap of retired stuff from SU!.  The star is punched out of Yo-Yo Yellow attached to the Chocolate Chip ribbon with Hemp Twine.  The brads are from the Vintage pack.  Baby Jesus almost looks like an Easter egg dressed in bright yellow swaddling cloths!  I've got another retired nativity stamp set I hope to show off tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

1 Colour Q + 1 How 2 = 5 Cards!

Hi Stamping Friends!

I know!  Bad math huh?!  But when Arielle from the COLOUR Q color challenge blog asked me to be a "guest designer" this week for her cQc9 challenge, I had so much fun with the colors that I just couldn't stop!  I ended up creating FIVE cards with the colors.  And because today is "How To Tuesday" (and if you bother to stay 'til the end of this long post!), there will be a photo tutorial on the Baby Wipe Technique.  This technique was from the Tuesday Technique Challenge from my favorite Stampin' Up! online hangout, STAMPIN' ADDICTS.  So each one of these cards is for one or more challenges.  But first the important part... here is the gorgeous challenge photo that Arielle sent me to work with:

Isn't that fantastic?!  Here's the card I created for Arielle to post on her blog:

This card is nice and sparkly IRL.  The "snow" is a layer of Dazzling Diamonds, and the trees are decorated with Swarovski Crystals (the only non-SU! products).  The trees are also dusted with some shimmer mist made with the Platinum Shimmer Paint in the Holiday Mini Catalog.

Here's a card I made using these colors for the Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #46 over at Karen Giron's blog: the sweetest thing.  I just bought a used stamp set from Karen and I can't wait to get it and use it for one of her challenges!  :)  Here is the sketch:

And here is card number two:

The next sketch comes from the girls at Our Creative Corner.  Here is the sketch:

They made this one easy on me, since I was already planning on using the Delightful Decorations set.  I just didn't know what I was going to do until I stumbled across this perfect sketch!  Here is card number three:

The next card was taken apart and re-made after I saw the Mojo Monday 115 sketch.  I think it is my favorite card of all five of them.  Here is the sketch:

And here is my very sparkly version:

How fun is that?!  And last but not least, the only card that is NOT a Christmas card is for Stamping 411 sketch challenge SSC127.  Here is their sketch:

And here is the fifth and final card:

Isn't that Baby Wipe Technique fabulous?!  Well, if you've stuck around this long, you might as well hangout a little longer, 'cause this technique is super easy and can be done in four easy steps.

Gather your supplies:

Re-Inkers **3-4 colors**

Baby Wipes

Empty Container

Solid-style Stamps

Whisper White Cardstock

Layer four or five baby wipes in an empty container.  I used an empty SU! stamp box.  You could also use some type of Rubbermaid or Gladware.  This will be your stamp pad.  Drip your re-inkers onto the baby wipe.  I start with my darkest colors to the lightest.  I fill in all the empty space with lightest color.

Using a solid image stamp (you won't see the multi-colored effect on a line image), stamp onto the baby wipe "stamp pad" and then onto your Whisper White cardstock.

That's all there is too it!  You may want to be ready to stamp as many images as possbile, because once your ink starts to lighten, that's it.  I tried to re-ink the baby wipe, but the colors began to get all muddled.  You can see in this photo it is after I had tried to re-ink it.  The pinks and blues started to turn purple.  I don't know if you could close the lid and try again the next day, but I think your colors would bleed into each other.  The best thing about this technique is the easy clean up.  Just wipe your container clean with the baby wipes!

Thanks so much for stopping by and hanging out to the bitter end!  It's not every day that you get asked to be a guest designer.  Better make the most of it!  I hope you have a chance to play along in the Colour Q challenge cQc9 this week!

Happy Stamping!

1 Colour Q and 2 Sketches

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well I just fell in love with the color challenge over at Arielle's Colour Q blog.  Check this out:

Isn't this a fabulous image?!  I think she said this fabric is called Figgy Pudding.  Well whatever it's name is, it's gorgeous!  I loved these colors so much, I decided to make two cards for this color challenge.  I filed through all my sketch challenge blogs and found two sketches to use.  The first is the Sweet Sunday Sketch from Karen Giron's blog the sweetest thing SSSC45. The second sketch is the Mojo Monday challenge MOJO114. 

And here are my two cards:

I told myself I was NOT going to post any more Christmas cards until AFTER Thanksgiving, but with these fabulous colors, how could I resist?!  On both cards the card base is Always Artichoke, layered with Bashful Blue.  The Old Olive colored DSP is from the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper Pack.  The top card uses the Delightful Decorations set and Four The Holidays, both from The Holiday Mini Catalog.  The second card uses the Patterned Pines set that is a Level 1 Hostess Set in the Holiday Mini Catalog.

Be sure to check out the color challenge next week at the Colour Q blog, because I get to be the Guest Designer!  Arielle already sent me next's week image, to work with, and let me tell you, I LOVE it.  I have about 3 or 4 card ideas floating around in my head.  So make sure you stop by my blog next Tuesday morning and see what I come up with.

In honor of this being Thanksgiving week, each day I'm posting something I'm thankful for.  So today I picked my wonderful family: mom, dad, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews.  It's always such a blessing when the people you are related to, are not just family, they're also your friends.  I can't wait to hang-out with everyone on Thanksgiving at my sister's house.  We can talk, laugh, and eat.  And then when we leave, we'll probably complain about each other just a little bit, but that won't stop us from doing it again next time.  My family is dependable, hard-working, and fun.  I'm thankful to God for each and every member.

Don't forget about the HUGE SALE going on at my Stampin' Up! website right now!  Lots of fabulous stampin' goodness at 30%-50% OFF!  You don't want to miss out.  Click on the SHOP NOW button located on the top right corner of MY WEBSITE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

A Sweet Sketch and an Award!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Today's double challenge card uses a sketch from Karen Giron's blog: The Sweetest Thing SSSC44 and a color challenge from the Colour Create blog CCC31.  The colors were Blue, White and Silver.  Here's the sketch:

I tweaked the sketch a little bit.  I eliminated the rectangle.  And I apologize ahead of time, but I did another snowflake card.  How could I resist with that color combo?!  Here's my card:

The card base is Bashful Blue layered with a scallop circle of Night of Navy.  The scallop was cut with the Scallop #2 die.  The Brushed Silver strip was embossed with the Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Embossing folder.  The sentiment is from Four the Holidays and is stamped in Night of Navy.  After I made this card, my ever faithful man in brown delivered my backordered Platinum Shimmer Paint.  So of course I had to mix a little bit up with some alcohol to make a mist.  Here my card after I made it shimmer:

Can you see all that sparkly goodness?  No?  Well here's a close-up: 

Now can you see it?  IRL it is very shimmery.  It took a couple test runs to figure out how to make a light mist and not a big blotchy mess.  I ended up taking my card and shimmer mist outside.  First I would spray the mist, then I would swoosh my card through the mist.  Kinda like the perfume girls do at the department stores.  I didn't aim it straight at the card, I just swung the card through the mist.  It made a nice sparkly coating.  Now I'll have to buy the Chamagne Mist and Frost White Shimmer Paint out of the Holiday Mini Catalog before it goes away on January 4th!

Now on to my award news.  The ever sweet Cindy over at her blog: Heart's Delight Cards, gave me my very first blog award!!

How cool is that?!

There's a fun little game attached with this award and here are the rules: 

I need to...

**Pass this award on to five people.

**Post on their blog to let them know I left this award.

**Answer this list of questions in ONE word. 

This is going to be the hardest part!  My philosophy is... why use just one word, when there are so many wonderful words to be spoken!!  I'm going to give it a try anyway.  Here goes:

1.  Where is your cell phone?  PURSE

2.  Your hair?  BLECH!

3.  Your mother?  FRUGAL

4.  Your father?  FRIENDLY

5.  Your favorite food?  DESSERT

6.  Your dream last night?  COLORS

7.  Your favorite drink?  WATER

8.  Your dream/goal?  CONTENTMENT 

9.  What room are you in?  OFFICE

10. Your hobby?   STAMPING

11. Your fear?  HEIGHTS

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  HOME

13. Where were you last night?   POOL

14. Something that you aren't?   PERFECT

15. Muffins?  SPICE

16. Wish list item?   MAID

17. Where did you grow up?   ARTESIA

18. Last thing you did?  DROVE

19. What are you wearing?  SWEATER

20. Your TV?  OLD

21. Your pets?  SIX

22. Friends?  PLENTY

23. Your life?  FABULOUS

24. Your mood?  TIRED

25. Missing someone?  GRANDMA

26. Vehicle?  ODYSSEY

27. Something you're not wearing?  NECKLACE

28. Your favorite store?   MARSHALL'S

29. Your favorite color?  GREEN

30. When was the last time you laughed?  TODAY

31. Last time you cried?  HHMMM?

32. Your best friend?  SCOTT

33. One place that I go to over and over?  POOL

34. Facebook?  NO!!!!

35. Favorite place to eat?  FIGARO'S

You've heard me talk about November being National Blog Posting Month.  Well there is a group of gals at my favorite Stampin' Up! online hangout, Stampin' Addicts, who have all taken up the challenge to blog everyday for the entire month of November.  And because they all have done such a tremendous job of encouraging me in this venture, I want to pass this award on to them.  So the five fabulous bloggers (in no particular order) that I'm going to give this award to are:

1.  Holly at INK PAPER STAMPS

2.  Yapha at RUBBER STAMPING and CARD MAKING

3.  Heather at CANDLE WITH TWO ENDS

4.  Tracey at TRACEY STAMPS

5.  Adriana at ESCAPE 2 STAMP

I hope you guys have a chance to play along!!

CLICK HERE if you want to see a list of everyone who is playing in the NaBloPoMo Challenge.  And stay tuned to see if I can complete the challenge.  I'm over half-way there already!

Four The Holidays  #116921  $13.95

Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Folder  #116824  $7.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!