Clean, Simple and Genuine

This week’s Clean and Simple challenge at SplitCoastStampers is a sketch challenge (CAS08).

Materials:

• Stamps: Plaque set; Mini Positive Words; p1.4 Lg Freak (butterfly); Harlequin BG; ALL from Starving Artistamps;
• Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Ink: Tattered Rose, Vintage Photo; Walnut Stain;
• Paper: DP—Basic Grey; Creamy Caramel (SU!);
• Accessories: Stickles;

It never ceases to amaze me how a simple image of nature can have such a great impact!  Tracey, the owner of Starving Artistamps has such a beautiful selection of butterflies—check them out!

Tomorrow is Wacky Wednesday—I hope you can come back then.  I have a surprise from TX to show you!!

Wacky Wednesday #4--For the Kids

Today, for the Rubbernecker Stamp Company Wacky Wednesday. Broni has challenged us to make cards for kids.  Please check out the Rubbernecker Stamp Company Blog for more information and Broni's sweet example.

I made this card with my youngest daughter in mind--hence the PINK!  The "Petite Cottontail's Carrot" stamp is colored with Prismacolor pencils and his tail is fluffed with some Liquid Applique.  I masked him and stamped the "grass set" all around him, filled in with a couple of watercolor brush strokes.

We would love for you to play along in the challenge with us this week! Just upload your Easter card to your blog or favorite online gallery and link it to today's post.  You'll have a chance to win a 25% off coupon for your next purchase!**

Check out what the talented design team members have created today:

• Bev Gerard (Tex)
• Candy Williams
• Joan Ervin
• Kittie Caracciolo
• Linda Duke
• Shelly Kuck
• Sherry Cheever
• Tami Mayberry

**In order to qualify for one of the three certificates for 25% off your entire order at Rubbernecker, you must post a link on THIS post to your creation here on  by Monday, March 30.  Winners will be announced on Tuesday, March 31.  Have fun creating!

A gift set

I am not good at making multiple cards that are alike, but I wanted to make a set.  So I used just one stamp set using various colors, but just two layouts.

This set is for a lovely woman that has done many kind things for our family.  Someone who, unlike me, actually gets card into the mail.  So I also  wanted to make these fairly flat for  sending.

They are fairly plain cards--with lots of space to write on the inside (as this friend is sooo good at doing).  If you want you can click on each picture to see it larger.

It uses the set "Vases in Vogue", which was a past Stampin' Up! Hostess set.  It is probably my all time favorite hostess set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Thank You cards

My daughter's church choir is performing their musical tomorrow.  One of the other parents is organizing thank you gifts for the director and accompanist.  Of course, I volunteered the cards to go with the gifts.

The first one, for the accompanist, I reworked a card I had already made.  I needed a larger card for all of the children to sign. (I made an insert to be adhered on the inside after the choir signs it)  HERE is the card I reworked.

The medallions along the bottom are Brenda Walton clear stamps that I got from Michaels a long time ago.

For the Director, I used a previously colored image (which is why I often color two or three when I do one--so I have extra images handy for a quick card). 

The image is from Starving Artistamps and is off the Bees Sheet.  It has an insert to be signed as well.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend--I know I will have a great time watching my daughter perform (which she loves to do).

Wacky Wednesday--A Sketch Challenge

It is time for another Wacky Wednesday Challenge.  This week, the diva of sketches, Tami Mayberry is hosting the challenge on the Rubbernecker Stamp Company Blog.
Here is the sketch:

and here is my card:

Deets:
Stamps: Tulip and Easter Blessings from Rubbernecker Stamp Company;
Papers: Plums and rose cardstock (SU!); Watercolor paper; DP--DCWV;
Ink: VersaMark and various Tim Holtz Distress Inks for watercoloring;
Accessories: ribbon, gold embossing powder, brads; 

Did you know you can win by playing along with this sketch????  Check out the details on the Rubbernecker Stamp Company Blog!!!
Want to see some more???  Check out the beautiful cards made by other design team members:

• Bev  - Savor the Journey
• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Candy - Candys Land
• Joan - Stamping with a Passion!
• Linda -  Linda’s Works of Heart
• Shelly -  Stamp with Shelly
• Tami - A Walk on the Mild Side
• Sherry - Walkin' on the BAD Side!

I am looking forward to see what YOU do with this sketch!!!

Weekend Challenge Combo #2

Today's combo of challenges is the Featured Stamper Challenge on SplitCoastStampers and Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge.

The Featured Stamper (#110) for this week just happens to be my stamping buddy, Stacy.  I chose her "Lighthouse Scraps" card to CASE.

I used a white mat that was a part of the Stamp Simply #78 challenge.

Elements Kept:

• lighthouse and scripture theme
• layout

Elements Changed:

• Color scheme
• stamps (SU! and Inkadinkadoo instead of ODBD)
• moved the ribbon

I hope you take the time to check out Stacy's Gallery and Blog.  She is a talented stamper and a SUPER sweet and sincere person.  It will be worth your time.

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Weekend Challenge Combo #1

Yesterday I combined a couple of challenges. 

This card's layout comes from Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #59.

AND

The colors com from Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #45.

AND

When I put them together I came up with:

Yeah, you could say I needed a little help this weekend--LOL!!  DH is out of town and little dd was sick, and I just needed to get inky!!

Materials:

Stamps: Circle Background (Starving Artistamps) Elegant Inspirations (SU!);

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black;

Paper: White (GP); Black, Basic and Going Grey (SU!); Basic Grey DP (horizontal strip);

Accessories: Nestabilities, brads, Grey alcohol markers; foam tape;

Thanks for stopping by!!  I hope you had a good weekend!

(NOTE: Weekend Challenge Combo #2 will follow shortly!)

Clean and Simple-a Color Challenge

I am intrigued by the latest trend by card making--Clean and Simple (CAS). 

As I have said in earlier posts--I am more of a MOTR stamper (Middle of the Road)--I don't go crazy with layers and embellishments nor do one layer cards come naturally.  But Miss Boo had started a series of challenges for the CAS stamper.  I have decided to give it a try.

This weeks challenge is a color challenge.  Greens and blues.

The card uses a Sentiment from Starving Artistamps; and hearts from the DoodleFactory.  The inks are Tim Holtz's Broken China and Memento's Pear Tart.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Gothic Challenge

I am sure, if you are from the United States, you are familiar with this painting:

Well, Leigh O'Brien has issued a CHALLENGE.  The challenge is to recreate this painting by using DoodleFactory stamps.

Well, this got my mind going.  AND since temperatures seem to be STUCK below freezing my mind keeps drifting to a warmer place.  Namely, the tropics.

How'd I do??? Don't Yapples and Moki make a CUUUTE couple?  I also used parts of the Tropical Backdrop and tiki huts from the DoodleFactory Tropics Collection.

C'mon and play!!!  I can't wait to see what others come up with!!

 

Wacky Wednesday--Easter Blessings

Our host for this week's Wacky Wednesday is Kittie Caracciolo!!!  Woo Hoo!!  You can learn a little more about her HERE!!

The theme of Wacky Wednesday #2 is...Fancy Folds!!  So anything but a regular spine fold on your card.

I went with a tri-fold card.

You can see the inside flap here:

I think this would be perfect to write a longer letter on the inside of the card.

Materials:

Stamps: Tulip and Easter Blessings by  Rubbernecker Stamp Company;

Ink: Worn Lipstick, Peeled Paint, and Shabby Shutters Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Shell Pink Adirondack Dye Ink;

Paper: Pink and Green-Bazzill; White Georgia Pacific;

Accessories: Nestabilities; Dew Droppy Thingies; Watercolor brush, Sponge, Martha Stewart Border punch, Corner Rounder punch; Pin.

Now check out the rest of the design team's creations:

• Bev  - Savor the Journey
• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Candy - Candys Land
• Joan - Stamping with a Passion!
• Kittie -  Kittie Kraft
• Linda -  Linda’s Works of Heart
• Shelly -  Stamp with Shelly
• Tami - A Walk on the Mild Side
• Sherry - Walkin' on the BAD Side!

And don't forget to link YOUR creation back to the Rubbernecker Stamp Company Blog!!  The Magical Mr. Linky is waiting for you on this post.

 

The Joy of the Lord

The best laid plans....

I had planned to use the Verve Challenge Sketch this weekend--but it just didn't work out.  Well, it didn't work out for this weekend.  Stamping and weekends just never works out for me...*sigh*

Anyway, here is my card.  It was a great sketch just not at a good time for me.

The stamp set is Serenity Prayer. 

The dp is by Making Memories.

Make sure you stop back tomorrow for  Wacky Wednesday!

 

2Sketches4U-Just Because

Starting today, Starving Artistamps is sponsoring 2Sketches4You this week.  Here is one of the sketches:

Here is my card:

Deets:

Stamps: Rose By DoodleFactory; Ornate Tooled Leather Background and Sentiment-All About Love Set by Starving Artistamps;

Paper: Black, pink and white cardstock; Dark pink DP-My Mind's Eye;

Ink: White pigment ink and Memento Tuxedo Black;

Accessories: dew droppy thingies; Nestabilities; Alcohol Markers; ribbon; foam tape; Martha Stewart Border Punch;

I am looking forward to see what the other design team members came up with.  Check out the Starving Artistamps Blog and Gallery Blog for the rest!!

Of course, also, check out 2Sketches4You to see what good stuff is there!!

 

Serenity in a JAR

One of my FAVORITE people is the Featured Stamper this week on SplitCoastStampers, Judy!

She has a beautiful way of looking at life--and she is a SUPER talented stamper!

Here is HER card I chose to case (it is from this post).

And here is my version:

Things I kept:

• the Serenity Prayer (mine is by Verve)
• the basic layout (she is so much better at layering than I am, though)
• the basic details

The things I changed:

• colors
• some minor details--scalloped squares, pearl paint for pearls, ribbon
• added pin (instead of pearl) and fabric (actually quilt binding--instead of the vertical paper strip)

I have another card in mind---it might get made--it might not--we will see what this week brings.

Congratulations, Judy--I cannot think of a more deserving stamper/friend!

 

More ATC Fun

Today I used yesterday's ATC to build a card.  I used this weeks SplitCoastStampers' Sketch--which conveniently was perfect for building a card from an ATC.

In addition to yesterday's materials, I used the Rubbernecker stamp, Striplet #5, colored with light greys and a light grey-green.

Today's ATC is where my mind is:

The foam on the beach is Flower Soft.

The stamps are the Grass Set (barely visible) and the beach chair; both from Rubbernecker Stamp Company.

In my mind, I am on that chair, with a book.  The air is just about 70, and there is a slight breeze.   The sun is peeking out between big fluffy clouds.   Ahhhhhh....

 

Wacky Wednesday-ATC's

There’s a new challenge for you! 

Each Wednesday a different Design Team Member will post a weekly challenge. 

Now here's the fun part for you!  Rubbernecker Stamp Company will be giving away 3 certificates each week to 3 different participants who play along.  The certificates will be good for 25% off your entire order at Rubbernecker Stamps!

Today your hostess is  Badsherry!  Sherry’s chosen for us to make ATCs today. 

It has been a while since I have made one.  The beauty of them is: creating for the sake of creating.  No pressure--just fun.

Deets:

Stamps: Sunflower by Stamp Oasis; Valentine Love Heart Phrase set;

Paper: Cardstock: Bazzill; White: Georgia Pacific; dp: Basic Grey;

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; VersaMark;

Accessories: Brads, Embossing Powder-Gold; Alcohol Ink Markers;

Now be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team has done:

• Bev  - Savor the Journey
• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Candy - Candys Land
• Joan - Stamping with a Passion!
• Kittie -  Kittie Kraft
• Linda -  Linda’s Works of Heart
• Shelly -  Stamp with Shelly
• Tami - A Walk on the Mild Side
• Sherry - Walkin' on the BAD Side!

I sure hope you can play today!!

 

One Layer Crafty Secrets

Over in the Crafty Secrets Forum of SplitCoastStampers, they have challenges.  AND since my Crafty Secrets stamps haven't seen much ink (one set was still in the package--YIKES!)  I thought I NEEDED to participate.

This is really last week's challenge--One Layer Cards--and I made these cards this weekend.  BUT with some extra drama in the Swanson household--they just didn't get posted.

I think one layer cards are difficult because there is no moving *stuff* around to get the layout right.  They require a bit of *vision* prior to putting ink to paper.  Frankly, I don't think that far ahead--so that is the TRUE challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

March of the Penguins

Yeah--that is a pun!!

Today, my little dd celebrates her half birthday (the big 5.5!!!).  Her birthday falls the weekend before school starts, so she gets to celebrate her half birthday at school. 

Her Pre-K class is studying Polar animals.  So, good ole mom searches the web for a special treat relating to polar animals.  DD decided on THESE.

Because it kills me to follow a recipe directly--we altered the cookie (a white cookie to simulate ice) and nixed the chocolate chip eyes and just poked the heads with the blunt end of a bamboo skewer.

They are SO NOT perfect!!  But, when  you have a 5 AND A HALF yr. old and a 10 yr old as assistants--perfection is not in the result--but in the enjoyment of the process.

If I would have to do it all over--I would JUST make baby penguins (just one marshmallow).  DD is THRILLED with the result--declaring they look just like emperor penguins.   So, I'd say mission accomplished!

(Stamping will resume as soon as we get the melted chocolate and Tootsie Rolls cleaned off of everything !!)

Have a great March!