A Team Challenge

Happy Friday!  TGIF!!  This has been the longest week ever!!  Every now and again, my upline posts a challenge for our team.  This time it was a sketch designed for Sunday Stamps by one of my downline, Steph VanDorp.  Steph designs for Sunday Stamps and is super talented and oh, so creative.  Check out her blog and you'll see what I mean.  Here is Steph's Sketch:

And here is my take on it:

Birthday card featuring the Secret Garden stamp set with sentiment from Apothecary Art.

Inside view with sentiment from You Are Loved.

If you're having a little deja vu, it's likely because working on this card was the inspiration for the birthday card I made for my mom.  You can see it HERE.  I have to admit that this design came to mind almost immediately when I saw Steph's sketch.  It was the first time I inked up my new Secret Garden stamp set and used the coordinating Framelits.  Talk about a quick and easy way to make lovely flowers...no fussy cutting required!!  I also used some of the new Delicate Detail lace tape...ooh, so in love with that stuff!!  Quick and easy and oh, so pretty!  The sentiment I used (yes there is one there, though it's hard to see!) is from the Apothecary Art set and I heat embossed it in pewter.   It really does show up quite nicely against the Rich Razzleberry base, despite the crummy photo!  On the inside of the card I used a sentiment from the You Are Loved set, a recent addtion to my stamp collection ;)
If you get a chance this weekend, try playing along wth Sunday Stamps or one of the other challenges listed in my sidebar.  You'll be amazed at the way they inspire your creativity!  Have a stamp-eriffic weekend!

Mashed up Valentine

Happy Thursday everyone...just one more day till the weekend!  Why is it always so hard to get back to a full 5-day week after the holidays?? 
Today I have a little Valentine's ensemble I created for this week's Friday Mash-up challenge.  Here is the sketch:

I decided to "mash it up" and do the sketch using hearts as one of my elements.  Here is what I came up with:

Valentine's ensemble for FM91 featuring the Hearts A-flutter stamp set and More Amore DSP.

Close up of card...sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes

Inside view of card with sentiment from You Are Loved

Treat holder made using the Petite Pocket die, More Amore DSP with sentiment from Itty Bitty Banners

So I got a little carried away with the hearts!  I just couldn't stop adding them LOL...I used pretty much every heart die and punch I own on this project.  I even used the heart-patterned Adorning Accents TIEF to add texture.  I did manage to stay pretty much true to the sketch, though it was tempting to add a few extra embellishments!  There isn't a stitch of ribbon or bling anywhere on the card!!  I remedied that when I designed the treat holder, using some of the gorgeous SAB ribbon to tie the box closed.  Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!

A Two-fer

 If you've read my blog for any length of time you know how much I love to play along with online challenges.  I haven't had much time of late to participate, but found myself with time to play last weekend and decided to jump right back in!  Today's project was inspired by a couple of online challenges.  This week Hand Stamped Sentiments is running a colour challenge that uses a fab combo:

Over at Retro Sketches there is terrific sketch:

So I decided to combine the two and came up with this card:

CAS Love Note for HSS150 and RS45 featuring the Hearts A-Flutter stamp set and More Amore DSP with sentiment from P.S. I Love You (retired)

Inside view with another sentiment from P.S. I Love You

I decided to make the label shape in the background of the sketch a window and added my other elements so that they layered across the opening.  The DSP label on the inside peeks through the window at the front of the card.  I kept the design very CAS...nary an embellishment in sight (unless you count the strip of Pool Party seam binding ribbon I used as one of the banners), so I added a little texture with the Adorning Accents TIEF and a couple of lines done with my Simply Scored.  I played down the Basic Black element of the colour challenge, using it only for the stamped sentiments because I wanted the card to have a light and airy quality.
I have to apologize for the poor colour quality in these photos...I had hoped Santa would bring me a new camera and photo booth, but alas, I mustn't have been a very good girl this year...he didn't come through!!  Guess I'll have to clean up my act...or go shopping ;)

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my mom's 70th birthday!  I can't believe she's that old...'cuz if she's 70 I must be....well, never mind!  Back to mom...she is as active and vibrant as she ever was and still does all of the things she loves.  Her greatest passion is gardening, and to honour that I decided to give her a flower garden on her birthday card.  Check this out:

Birthday card for my Mom featuring the Memorable Moments and Secret Garden stamp sets.

Flower detail

Inside view with sentiment from You Are Loved.

This card certainly was a labour of love!  It took my upwards of two hours to make, but I am thrilled with the result and I think my mom will be too.  I started by stamping the leaves and various floral images on Whisper White card stock and then coloured them using my aquapainter.  I then die cut the inmages using my new Secret Garden Framelits...so much quicker than fussy cutting them all!!  I did do a bit of fussy cutting so that I could layer some of the flowers to give them dimension.  In case you are wondering, here are the colours I used:  Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Summer Starfruit, Tangerine Tango, Garden Green, Old Olive and Pear Pizzazz (retired).  The sentiment panel on the front uses the Memorable Moments set and is heat embossed in silver and stamped in Rich Razzleberry.  The DSP is from the Twitterpated pack.  The card base uses my very last piece of Pear Pizzazz card stock...sure hope that colour comes back some day!  I hope my mom likes this card...I sure do!

Happy New Catty!

Ok, so I know I'm a few days late, but YIPPEE!!  The new Spring Catalogue is now live and full of fabulous new products to inspire you.  I've been having great fun this weekend playing with some of my new goodies and I have lots to show you this week!  I know I've not been very good about posting the last month or so, but now that the holiday craziness and our Disney vacation are behind me, I'm ready and raring to get back to stamping!  So, enough chit-chat...on to some fun!  Today I have a card for you that combines two challenges in one.  Over at Pals Paper Arts this week there is a colour challenge that uses a great combo:



And over at Freshly Made Sketches there is a fun sketch challenge.

So, I decided to combine the two and came up with this fun card:

Love note for PPA150 and FMS67  featuring the Seasonal Sayings stamp set and lots of new catty product!

I have to admit that I really love the way the Melon Mambo pops against the Basic Black!  What an awesome duo they are!  I using lots of new products on this card..here is a list (and their product numbers in case you just HAVE to order them!):

Delicate Details Lace Tape (LOVE THIS STUFF!!) 130966

Honeycomb TIEF 129378

Designer Builder Brads 129329

Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP 126922

Large Rhinestone Basic Jewels 129324

I really had fun with this colour combo and just might have to use it again some time soon! 

Last Day!

 

Today is your last chance to order many of the fantastic products in the Holiday Catalogue!  The deadline is midnight tonight, so don't miss out.  Get them before they're gone for good!  Visit my online store before it's too late!  Please don't email your order, as I am still in Florida with my family and will not be able to place your order in time...visit my website and order online.

I'll be home tomorrow just in time for the brand new Spring Catalogue to go live!!  Yahoo!!!

Happy 2013!!

Happy New Year!!  I hope 2013 brings health, happiness and, of course lots of rubber!!  I am celebrating with my family at Disney World, but I do have this project to show you that showcases lots of new products from the upcoming Spring Catalogue, which goes live on January 3rd.  I thought it rather appropriate to create a baby card for this brand new year!  Have a look:

Sweet Baby card featuring the Itty Bitties stamp set with sentiment from Sweet Essentials.

Not your typical baby card, but I think it works!  I used the new Hearts A-flutter DSP...so many great patterns in there for many occasions, not just Valentine's Day...and drew my colour scheme from that.  I settled on Pool Party, Real Red, Primrose Petals and Very Vanilla.  I also finally got to use some of the fun new Soda Pop tops to highlight the Itty Bitties images...so many possibilities with these!  The gorgeous satin ribbon is from the Sycamore Street Ribbon and Button pack available as one of this year's Sale-a-bration offerings.  This ribbon is so pretty and very easy to work with...the bows practically tie themselves!  I added texture with the Argyle and Delicate Designs TIEFs, which I think are perfect for a baby themed card.

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's Eve and are spending today doing what you love with the people who matter most to you!