stamping 411 sketch 136

This sketch over at Stamping 411 called my name today. Nice and simple


I like using bold colors but also like using them as accent colors- that's what I did here....

I also used a set of stamps that is one of my all time favorites, and one I haven't used for a long time. Love having go-to stamps in my collection.


Pretty simple- just added some fun ribbon behind the focal image. I made this into a "feel better soon" card for the sole reason that the sentiment perfectly fit the space :)

Card Recipe:
stamps- treasure life, say it in style- CTMH
paper- CTMH
ink- crystal blue, twilight, cranberry- CTMH
other- ribbon- Archivers, Adhesive Rhinestones- Me & My Big Ideas

Clean & Simple FTL 76

I used Natasha's sketch as a base for my card.



Using a 1" square punch, I made the red squares. Added a mounted heart finished off with some rhinestones. Then in the opposite corner of the heart, I used an ice dot I had laying around. I thought it sort of went with the card.

The background layer was run through my cuttlebug.
I also used a color combo from Clearly I Stamp.

Finished the whole card off with a button and waxy flax. Also used my new favorite ribbon! It's so striking.

Card Recipe:
stamps- heartfelt- CTMH
paper- black and white- CTMH
other- CTMH button, cuttlebug, argyle cuttlebug folder, KI Memories Ice Dots

Cuttlebug / Nestabilities Tip

I thought I would share a little helpful tip with you today. I love nestabilities. I just figured out that if I am going to run one die through, might as well fill up the page in random sizes so that I have extra shapes ready for a future card


I especially like to do this with my basic and favorite paper colors- colors that are my "go to colors".

No rhyme or reason for the sizes- just whatever fits on the paper!


This way I'm a step ahead when I want to make a quick card.

Now, I need to figure out a way to organize them on my table.



Do you have any fun tips ??

Color Chef Challenge #35 winner

Look at the beautiful card that Piali created for Color Chef Challenge #35- great card. Thanks to everybody who played along!

Piali- I will email you code for your winner badge to display on your blog!

Piali- I will email you code for your winner badge to display on your blog!

Color Chef Challenge #36

Light Pink
Dark Pink
(white or cream if you wish)

I started playing with a sketch and just couldn't leave my card alone so I added a layer for a sentiment. The only reason I used the feel better soon is that it perfectly fit my area.

I also repeated the stamped image along the bottom fo the inside of the card.

Card Recipe
stamps- majestic, sentiments large- American Crafts
paper- hollyhock and blush- CTMH
other- butterfly punch- Martha Stewart, adhesive rhinestones- Kaiser Scrap, cuttlebug, nestabilities circles, EK Success border punch

Hope you find time to play this week!


**Remember you can use any brand ink colors (I happen to be using CTMH). Upload your card using Mr.Linky. If you have issues with uploading, feel free to link to your card by leaving a comment!

sweet sunday sketch #53

Karen had a great sketch this weekend and I knew exactly the stamp set I would use for the card.
Rather than using another circle for the top layer, I stamped a hibiscus on stock and cut it out and mounted it onto the scallop layer. All of the card stock on this card is texturized- it's my favorite kind of paper these days. It just adds so much!




Card Recipe
stamps- Extreme Hapiness- CTMH
paper- white texture, sweet leaf- CTMH, aqua- Hobby Lobby
other- cuttlebug, nestabilities scallop circle, Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles Folder, 3m foam tape

pink challenge

The challenge to create something PINK over at the Crazy 4 Challenges blog was perfect for the card I created today. A friend of ours had a baby last week and this card will go along with the gift we're giving.



The card is pretty simple- one thing I added were polka dots to the edge of the label 1 layer. I also mounted that layer. Finished it off with some buttons.

Card Recipe:
stamps- green thumb- PTI
paper- baby pink and white- CTMH
other- brown buttons- Walmart, cuttlebug, nestabilities label 1, ric rac ribbon- Walmart, scallop punch, office punch

SCS Challenge 264 and another from start to finish card

See that teeny tiny sketch up there? That was the inspiration for the card I created below with some scraps that I had laying around...




Did I mention how much I love textured cardstock??


I repeated the same layers on the inside and repeated the leaf stamp inside.


Card Recipe:
stamps- Little Star- fancy pants designs
other- cuttlebug, nestabilities- circles, kaiserscrap adhesive rhinestones, felt ribbon- creative cafe

red heart challenge

The challenge over at CAARDVARKS was to incorporate red hearts onto your card project.

I stuck the pearl pins "through" the heart, as if it was an arrow.

I create the polka dot background in the same color (bubblegum) as the base of the card. I punched 4 squares and then added a layer of paper that was embossed in the cuttlebug and attached the heart on top of that, finishing it off with a teeny button.

Card Recipe:
stamps- spot on background- CTMH
paper- bubblebum, black, white- CTMH, white texture paper- Hobby Lobby
other- pearl pins, baby pink button- CTMH, cuttlebug, cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder

another fall-to-layout!

Check out this awesome sketch from NATASHA...




I haven't been in my stamp room all week so this made me dash upstairs and create something. Definitely a fall-to-layout! Here's my card.... I'm not that great making bows and this GREAT ribbon is a bit stiffer and so I had this idea. I did this ribbon in two steps...1. I cut the ribbon to 4 1/2 inches and attached it to the card front in between the red and black layer. Then I trimmed another piece and it's actually just on the top layer, trimmed the edges and put a button on top.



I kept debating on adding an additional focal point, but decided to keep it simple. To create the image below, I continuously stamped the image into three rows- this is one tiny stamp. I love how delicate it is.
You can actually see how big (or small) the single is on the inside in the next picture.


I thought this would also be a good opportunity to show the inside of the card, sometimes I don't pay as much attention to the inside, but when I take the time I really like the attention to detail! Here, I used the stamp in a single row across the bottom.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Card Recipe:
stamps- majestic- American Crafts, Paper Tray - Paper Tray Ink
ink- grey wool, cranberry- CTMH
paper- black- CTMH, red texture- Hobby Lobby, white texture- CTMH
other- ribbon-Hobby Lobby, Button- CTMH

450 posts and another Clean & Simple

I loved the sketch so much over at Clean and Simple that I made another one, especially after seeing SHERRI's card, who happens to also be from MN!! Anyhow, her beautiful card gave me the idea to pull out an old favorite stamp that I rarely use...



I decided to put some stickles on the tulip as well, it's kind of making the ink look a little bit like a watercolor underneath it. I could totally recreate these cards for any occasion and give them as gift sets.

It's almost TGIF!!! Always glad to see Friday roll around.... and I realized that this is my 450th post! Thank you to all my readers, especially those that take time to leave me comments. I really appreciate the time you spend at my blog.

Card Recipe:

stamps- small tulip etching- Tulip arts, Sentiments Small- American Crafts
paper- white textured card stock- Hobby Lobby
ink- green & pink chalk ink pads
other- foam mounting tape, stickles

color chef challenge #35

Happy Monday!

The colors for this week: Black, Grey, Red, White

I have been doing cards with mutliple layers lately and I like to repeat the layers on the inside if possible so that the inside also has some sturdiness to it. I really like the sentiment that i used for the inside and decided to keep the grey and red combo on the inside as well!


Card Recipe:
stamps- Say It In Style- CTMH, majestic- American Crafts
ink- grey wool, cranberry- CTMH
other- EK Success scalllop border punches, kaiserscrap rhinestones, foam mounting tape

**Remember you can use any brand ink colors (I happen to be using CTMH). Upload your card using Mr.Linky. If you have issues with uploading, feel free to link to your card by leaving a comment!

color chef challenge #34 winner

LINDA B gets to display this badge on her blog this for CCC #34



Thanks everybody who plays along!



Linda- I will send you the code for this badge!

sunday sketch...sweets for my sweet

KAREN
had a great sketch that I want to play around some more with this week.


I really like the background paper...some more stock that I've been hanging on to because I love so much! The edge had a natural scallop so I used that for the edge of the sketch


I have had this stamp set from H & M and have hardly played with it. I was re-surprised at how awesome the quality of the stamps are. They stamp perfectly! I wasn't sure how to color the pie, so I used my Prisma markers to color that in and it turned out sort of "golden" just like a pie.


And I stamped the sentiment on the inside, although I think it would have made a perfect extra layer on the card front.

Card Recipe:
stamps- Sweetly Stamped- H & M
ink- cranberry- CTMH
paper- DP- Making Memories, red textured stock- Hobby Lobby, cream- CTMH
other- prism markers, ric rac ribbon- Hobby Lobby

Our Creative Corner Blue and Green Challenge

This CHALLENGE was right up my alley...blue and green...so crisp and clean.

The card was simple to create. I ran a strip of sweet leaf paper through the cuttlebug as well as a circle nestie...the flower is stamped, cut and mounted on top of the nestie layer. I finished the flower off with a few adhesive rhinestones. Simple and elegant!
I put a layer of white paper on the inside of the card as well.

stamps- tickled pink- CTMH
paper- aqua texture- Hobby Lobby, sweet leaf & white- CTMH
other- mounting tape, cuttlebug, nestabilities circle, adhesive rhinstones- Michaels

Clean and Simple birthday card

Natasha has GREAT fall-to-layouts that you can really sit down and stamp to, if that makes any sense! I like clean and simple and sometimes less is more! Here is her layout...

Here's my take.



I added my own twist of corner-rounding two of the corners. Then I finished off the tree with some rhinestones for something extra! The tree is cut out and mounted on top of the cream colored layer, which is actually the back side of the Bo Bunny pattern paper.

I used chalk ink on the tree and I like how it has a sort of shaded look.

Card Recipe:
stamps- critters n treats- Basic Grey, Happy Birthday- CTMH
paper- Baby Pink texturd stock- CTMH, Bo Bunny DP
other- Me & My Big Ideas rhinestone adhesives, foam mounting tape, creative memories corner rounder.

Wouldn't it be nice if pearls grew on trees?

I've never played along with a JACKSONBELLE blog and I though there is no time like the present! The Challenge was to use some BLING!!


To create the look, I took two strips of patterned paper and attached it to the card front, then I attached a layer brown kraft paper with distressed edges (using my scissors). I stamped the tree on that layer and used adhesive pearls. The hi layer went through my cuttlebug using nestabilities!

Card Recipe:
stamps- critters n treats- Basic Grey, for every occasion- CTMH
paper- delilah stripes- Bo Bunny, brown kraft paper- Hobby Lobby,
other- nestabilities, adhesive pearls, scissors, cuttlebug

CPS Sketch Card

Another great SKETCH gave me a reason to make a square card. I enjoy switching the card sizes up every now and again!!

I had a scrap sheet left over of the patterned paper and I really like that it coordinated with my textured stock bought from a different store!

I decided to do a double layer of the cupcake for some interest. The sentiment (hey there cupcake) is one stamp so I stamped one color and then the other and masked the opposite side to get the 2 Color effect!

Card Recipe:
stamps- Hey There Cupcake- CTMH
paper- Red Texture- Hobby Lobby, Cream- from my paper stash
ink- crystal blue, honey and cranberry- CTMH
other- foam tape

Lord have Mercy Sketch #55

Loving the sketches I found tonight!! This one is courtesy MERCY and here's what I created:

To get the funky border on the left, I basically made a mistake and decided to just go with it! I kind of like how it turned out. Then I added another honey colored layer and used my new favorite ribbon on top and then finished that particular layer off with a button and waxy flax. The flower has adhesive pearls for centers.

Card Recipe:
stamps- sentiments large- American Crafts
paper- honey, black and white- CTMH
other- cuttlebug, nestabilities circle, CTMH button, CTMH waxy flax, adhesive pearls- Michaels

sweetest thing sketch

I enjoyed KAREN's sketch this week!
This is the card I created. I saw these scraps all laying together in a pile and I like the way they look together! And, I love the felt ribbon!

When a card is heavily layerd on the outside, I like to repeat some of those layers on the inside of the card for 2 reasons:
1. it pulls the look all together
2. It doesn't make the card top-heavy or front-heavy. KWIM? If there is anything I hate, it's a nice bulky top layer and then when you open the card the inside is all flimsy and stuf.

Card Recipe:
stamps- heartfelt- CTMH
paper- red and turquoise texture- Hobby Lobby, honey- CTMH, patterned paper- SEI
other- mounting tape, felt ribbon-Archivers, EK Success scallop border punch