Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge #1

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well it's finally here!!!  The debut challenge of my very own challenge blog: STAMPIN' CELEBRATION!  If you've followed my blog long enough, you know I L-O-V-E to play in all kinds of stamping challenges.  Well, one crazy day, I chatted on my blog about possibly starting a "party-themed" challenge.  One thing led to another and here it is!  The very first challenge of the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge aka SCIC01.  I'm so super excited!!!  The idea behind the challenge is to inspire you to use your stamping and papercrafting talents for ALL of life's "celebrations".  So we hope you will play along this week.  Just use these inspiration pictures to create any Mother's Day project.  Then post it to your blog, or other online gallery and upload it to the STAMPIN' CELEBRATION linking system.  It's that easy!

Here's the first project I was inspired to create for this challenge:

How could I not use the Daisy #2 die?!  It's so perfect!  This is the Sweet Sunday Sketch #67 from Karen Giron's blog: the sweetest thing.  I really love the bright colors of the inspiration pic.  For this card I used Only Orange, Pink Passion, and Pink Flamingo DSP.  The ric rac is retired from awhile ago.  The sentiment comes from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  Love that set!!

My 11 yo daughter loves to make me breakfast in bed on Mother's Day.  This is my tray from last year... blueberry muffins, toast with jam (with a heart cut out of it), and hot tea.  See how she decorated the plate with the Tart and Tangy set?  It matched the strawberry and orange slice on the plate.  Too cute!  And of course a handmade card.  She's a SU! demo in the making!  The breakfast has improved over the years.  One year she made me cold cereal.  Problem was, she got up about a half an hour before me, so I got to eat mushy cold cereal, with a smile on my face saying how delicious it was!  I'm so glad she knows how to bake now!!  But this gave me an idea for my next project, a simple napkin ring to use for breakfast in bed or a Mother's Day Luncheon.

This uses the Daisy #2 die and the Perfect Setting die, with a Pumpkin Pie Corduroy Brad.  It would be super fast and simple to make a bunch of these for your Mother's Day tea party.

And every mother deserves a little pampering every now and then.  My next project would make a great gift for any special woman in your life.

I bought all of these items at the Target Dollar Spot, even the metal container.  So I only spent $6, but look at how cute it is!  Just a little paper and ribbon can really add alot to a simple gift.  Again, I LOVE these bright, cheery colors.  Here are some closeups of the items:

I thought my projects were kind of cute and fun, until I saw what the other STAMPIN' CELEBRATION Design Team members came up with.  They totally blew my projects out of the water.  Their projects are completely AMAZING!  You HAVE to check out what they created for this inspiration challenge.

Allison at SWEET IMPRESSIONS

Candace at CJ LAWLOR DESIGNS

Kari at STAMPIN' ESSENTIALS

Rochelle at I STAMP, I CREATE, I HAVE FUN!

I hope you've been inspired!  I can't wait to see what fabulous Mother's Day project you create with the Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge!  Be sure to stop by every Thursday to join the party!

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!

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!

A Birthday and a Thank You

Hi Stamping Friends!

Today's my FIL birthday.  So I made him a quick card last night.

I used two challenegs from the STAMPING 411 blog.  Their color challenge 121 and their sketch challenge 149.  I love their fun, easy sketches.  They are great for workshop cards and stamp classes.  Also great when you have to make your FIL a last-minute birthday card!  :)

I also wanted to say thank you to some super sweet stampers who honored me with the Sunshine Blog Award last week. 

***Candace Lawlor at CJ LAWLOR DESIGNS

***Heidi Baks at RUNNINGWSCISSORSSTAMPER

***Jen Timko at STAMPING ON THE FLY

Thanks gals!  I'm blushing trying to figure out how to thank you properly.  You've made this little stamper quite happy with the recognition.  :)  I'm supposed to pass this award on to other talented stampers who inspire me, but you all inspire me!  And if you check out these gals blogs, they already picked some awesome stampers.

Be sure to stop back by tomorrow.  It's ColourQ Tuesday and you won't want to miss the fun colors Arielle picked out for us this week!

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!

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!

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!

One ColourQ

Hi Stamping Friends!

It's Tuesday!  Must be time for another COLOURQ color challenge!  Can you believe that I only have one card for you today?!  I know!  Shame on me.  It's not that I didn't have fun playing with these colors, I really did.  And it has nothing to do with the fact that I don't own the Bravo Burgandy OR the Sage Shadow ink pads.  It's just that I had such a crazy, busy weekend.  If you have kids that are involved in "stuff", you know what I mean!  I didn't have time to stamp any extra cards for this week's challenge.  So I hope one is enough!

Here's my card:

I thought the colors had a fun, vintage look to them.  One of my favorite vintage style stamp sets is Friends 24-7.  I use this set all the time!  The card base is Always Artichoke (so glad this color is staying!).  The panels are Bravo Burgandy stamped with the damask stamp from Friends 24-7, using Versamark.  Then a Very Vanilla panel that is embossed with the Damask Texturz Plate.  Then a Cameo Coral panel (so sad to see this color go!) that is stamped with the En Francais BG stamp in Always Artichoke.  The bird is stamped in Cameo Coral and the Little Leaves are punched out of Sage Shadow.  The taffeta ribbon is tied with a Chocolate Chip Button Latte.  Doesn't it look just like Bravo Burgandy when you set it by that color?!  This layout comes from the weekly sketch challenge at my favorite online SU! community, STAMPIN' ADDICTS.

I hope you have a chance to play along with us at the COLOURQ this week.  You only have to make ONE card!  Be sure to stop by the other members of the cQc Royal Court and see what stampin' goodnes they have come up with.  You can click on the links on my sidebar.

Be sure to stop by on Thursday when I reveal the Design Team members of my new inspiration challenge blog: STAMPIN' CELEBRATION.  Candance Lawlor and I have teamed up to start another (YES... ANOTHER!) challenge blog.  Then check back on Thursday, May 6th when we will post our first ever Stampin' Celebration Inspiration Challenge!

And then be sure to come back on Friday, when I will be participating in the STAMPIN' ADDICTS Summer Mini Blog Hop.  You'll get to see lots of great projects using the stamp sets from the upcoming Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalog.  You won't want to miss it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

Easy Breezy Monday

Hi Stamping Friends!

Can I say that I'm actually happy it's Monday?!  I had a super busy weekend and I'm glad to be back into the routine of the week.  My two oldest had their music recitals this weekend, so no more driving to music lessons for a while!  Yay for me!

I know it's a little late for a Valentine card, but this one just sort of happened!

Today's card combines the sketch challenge from TAYLORED EXPRESSIONS and the color challenge from the EASY BREEZY KEWL COLOR CHALLENGE blog.  I suppose it could be an anniversary card too, since it doesn't say anything about Valentine's Day on it. 

Hope your weekend was more restful than mine.  Remember to stop by tomorrow and see what fabulous colors Arielle chose for the COLOURQ challenge this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!