Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #5

Hi Stamping Friends!

This week's celebration over at the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge blog is all about graduations!  I've already been to four graduation parties, but I know that our local public high schools are having their graduations next week.  And there are still a few college kids that are wrapping up their finals this week too.

Our 14 yo DS, who has been homeschooled since the 2nd grade, "graduated" from 8th grade.  We had a special celebration to honor his accomplishment.  We've also decided to let him attend one of the local high schools this fall (he's fallen in LOVE with water polo!).  So this is a HUGE "growing-up" step for him and our family.  What a fabulous reason to celebrate!

The images in the inspiration photos come from the Martha Stewart magazine website.  Leave it to Martha and her team to have everything matchy-matchy.  Even the chairs!  I love the turquoise, brown and white colors, so that is were my inspiration began.  I also loved the banner idea, but two of the SCIC Design Team members used that idea, and they did it so well, that I knew I couldn't improve on their fabulousness.  So I went with Plan B.  And here it is:

GO, GRADUATE

I used the Go, Graduate set from the Summer Mini Catalog.  I just adore that little owl.  He always makes me smile.  The sketch comes from 2 Sketches 4 You.  I really needed a super quick card, since I was so late in getting ready for this challenge.  I was still stamping this card at midnight last night.  Bad, bad design team member!!  And I'm supposed to be the gal in charge!  No real excuse except I haven't been feeling to stampy lately.  Have you ever been in one of those slumps?  Anyhoo!  Back to the card!  I used Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, and Whisper White.  With a few Black embellishments.  I also made this cute little party favor:

PERFECT SETTING

YUM-O!  I cut out the cupcake wrapper with the Perfect Setting XL die.  Then I used some Hemp Twine to fancy it up a bit.  I even made the cupcake itself.  I don't love baking, but my 11yo DD likes to play in the kitchen, and I do think it is my momly duty to show her the ropes.  These are actually brownie cupcakes.  I used the cake-style recipe on the brownie box.  I also added smashed up Oreos to the batter before I poured them in the cups.  I did make my own frosting: 1/3 cup of butter, 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk.  Nothing like a sugar rush!  I then added more crushed up Oreos on top for decoration.  Super easy!

I hope you have a chance to play along with us this week at the SCIC.  Hop on over there and check out what the other amazingly talented Design Team members created... in plenty of time for the challenge!  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

ColourQ Tuesday #31

Hi Stamping Friends!

Aren't these super fun colors that Arielle chose this week?!  So bright and summery.  I just love them!  And I had enough time this week to make three cards for you.  It's always amazing how the same colors can look so different together, depending on the layout and stamp set used.  I was so disappointed in how these pictures turned out.  The white almost looks gray.  I couldn't figure it out until I looked at my camera settings.  Duh!  I had left it on Auto, when I usually take my card pics using the Av mode.  It was too late to re-take them, so you'll just have to image them looking way brighter and better IRL!

FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLY

This card uses the Sketchy Thursday #81 sketch from the EAT, SLEEP, STAMP blog.  The DSP on this card is Pink Flamingo.  I also used the Inspired By Nature set for the grass.

GO, GRADUATE!

This card uses the Fall To Layout sketch #88 from the CLEAN AND SIMPLE blog.  This stamp set and the Sqaure Lattice Impressions folder are now available for purchase through the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalog.  I have no idea why I didn't color the legs on these graduates.  A little Blush Blossom would have gone a long way! 

JUST SURFING

This sketch comes from the CCEE STAMPERS.  This is sketch CCEE1017.  All those blues and yellow are such great beach colors.  My BIL loves surfing, so I think I'll keep this card around for his birthday in June.  I created the tag by punching some Certainly Celery cardstock with the Curly Label punch.  I cut the label in half and glued it on top of itself, to make it smaller.  Then I ran it through the Square Lattice Impressions Folder.  You can't even see the cut mark!  It sure was nice to use up so many Brilliant Blue brads on these cards.  Since BB is one of the retiring colors, I'm sure all the accessories in those colors will be retiring as well.  Out with the old... in with the new!!  I can't wait for the new SU! colors palette in July!!!

Make sure you stop back by on Thursday when I will debut my new challenge blog: STAMPIN' CELEBRATION.  It's a weekly inspiration challenge, with an awesome Design Team.  This Thursday we will post our very first challenge.  You should see the amazing creations these gals have come up with!  We hope to inspire stampers to use their creativity to celebrate all of life's special moments. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Stampin' Addicts Summer Blog Hop!!

Hi Stamping Friends!

The Stampin' Addicts Summer Mini blog hop is here!  I'm so excited to be a part of this awesome hop.  I know you will be treated to lots of fabulous stamping goodness from all these talented stampers.  If you've been hopping, then you just came from Trina's cute blog, Stamps and Whiskers.  If you're just joining us, that's O.K.  Just start here and hop on through 'til the end.  If you somehow get lost along the way, just click HERE and there is a list of the blog hop sites, in order.







The new Summer Mini set that I chose is Go, Graduate!  I don't have any graduation sets, and I fell in love with the adorable little owl.

Isn't he just too cute?! 

I found this great sketch at Carrie Gaskin's amazing blog, The Artistic Avenger.   The color inspiration came from the Embellish magazine blog.  It's an old challenge that I never got around to, but I really liked the colors of Real Red, Basic Black, Kraft and Whisper White.

And every graduate needs a little gift.

The Matchbox is the perfect little box to stash a little graduation cash into.  That and maybe some chocolate!  Those are the first two things that are always my wish list.  I'm so glad that Stampin' Up! has so many exclusive dies.  It's always impressive when you can match your card and your gift.

Here's another super cute image from the Go, Graduate! set.

I just think this image is hilarious!  And so true.  Since no one can see your new outift under that gown, then you better find the cutest shoes to wear with it!

The sketch idea came from 2Sketches4You.  This is Kazan's sketch 51.  I flipped the sketch on it's side.  The colors were inspired by the challenge over at Pals Paper Arts, which was to create a monochromatic card using blues.  I had to throw in the little bit of Chocolate Chip on the cowboy boots, just for fun.  I colored this image with my Watercolor Crayons and Blender Pens.  Funny thing, these are the school colors of our local Christian high school, Central Valley Christian.  So this will be perfect for one of the many graduation parties we will be attending.  The joy of being a youth pastor's wife!

And here is one more little gift basket, that would perfect filled with lots of yummy after-graduation candy.

The colors I used are Night of Navy, Brocade Blue and Bashful Blue.  I cut this basket out with the Baskets and Blooms die.  Then I embossed it with the new Square Lattice Impressions Folder, (from the Summer Mini) before I assembled it.  The tag is also cut using the same die.

Well that's it from me!  Next blog in the hop is Dr. Heather at CANDLE WITH TWO ENDS.  She will be treating us to some great projects using the First Day stamp set.

--GO TO NEXT BLOG--

If you love Stampin' Up! products as much as I do, remember to visit STAMPIN' ADDICTS.  It's a Stampin' Up! only online community for customers and demonstrators.  It has a fabulous alphabetized gallery and lots of wonderful stampers that hang out and answer questions and just have fun!  And best of all it's FREE to join!  So stop by and say hi!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Go, Graduate Act

Hi Stamping Friends!

Today's card features a sneak peek at a new stamp set that is in the Summer Mini catalog, which begins on May 1st.  I was thinking that the STAMPIN' ADDICTS blog hop was this weekend, and I was going to feature this card.  But the hop doesn't start until April 30th and I can't wait that long to show it to you! 

Here's today's card:

Isn't that owl just the cutest?!  All the images are from the Go, Graduate set, except for the stars.  They are from Extreme Elements.  I really love how this turned out.  The Impressions Folder is also a sneak peek from the upcoming SUmmer Mini. It's called Square Lattice.  Make sure you stop by next week Friday for the Stampin' Addicts blog hop and see all kinds of great ideas featuring new stuff from the Summer Mini Catalog.

This card combines two challenges... of course!  The colors are from STACEY'S STAMPING STAGE.  This is Act 26.  The sketch comes from TAYLORED EXPRESSIONS blog.  This is sketch 109.  I altered the sketch slightly as I did not make a long card.  I loved this layout so much, I used it for my swap card.  I did alter the colors slightly, as I only has a scrap of Going Gray and do not plan on buying any more, since it will be retired in July.

I've chatted previously about wanting to start a stamping challenge of my own, and I am!  Candace Lawlor and I have teamed up to start the Stampin' Celebration blog.  It will be a weekly inspiration challenge.  Our debut challenge will be on Thursday, May 6th.  Just in time for Mother's Day.  I haven't provided a link yet, as we are still working on a few things.  But we are both VERY excited about it and hope that you will play along with us!  So stay tuned!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Go, Graduate! Challenged

Hi Stamping Friends!

I wanted to give you a sneak peek at a new stamp set that will be available in the Summer Mini catalog beginning May 1st.  It's called Go, Graduate and it has some really fun images.  Of course I had to pick the two hardest challenges this week and combine them.  What was I thinking?!  Here's my card:

Not totally diggin' this creation, but you win some and you lose some.  This one is NOT a winner.  But it does show off the new Go, Graduate stamp set and the Square Lattice Impressions Folder!  The two tough challenges I used were the sketch challenge from the MOJO MONDAY blog.  This is MOJO134.  I also used the color challenge over at the STAMPING 411 blog.  This is Color Inspiration #119. 

A difficult layout, plus four challenging colors, does not equal a jaw dropping card.  What a bummer.  I guess that means I need to go practice more stamping with my new toys!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!