CFC93 - Breathe (It will be ok)

Happy Friday to all!  I hope everybody had a great week!  I'm here today with a new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays:

CFC93: Color blocks

Use blocks of color on your clean and simple project

The sponsor for this week's challenge is CutCardStock.  The winner of this week's challenge will receive a $25 store credit to spend here!  Awesome!

Have you ever made a card for a challenge or for your stash, only to realize that the sentiment you've chosen is exactly the one you needed to hear?  That's exactly the case with this paper yummy:

I stamped the "it will be ok" sentiment in Versamark ink on each color of cardstock, then embossed the "breathe" in white to make it pop.  I added some little bling down the right side, and rounded two opposite corners of the card base.  Here's a close-up:

I hope you'll play along with this week's challenge.  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up! (white), Core'dinations (all colored card stocks), stamps: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps; ink: Tsukineko (Versamark); embossing powder: Recollections; notebook paper die: Papertrey Ink; die cutting machine: Cuttlebug by ProvoCraft; bling: K & Company; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers

CFC91 - Just for the record...

Hello, and happy Friday!  I hope everybody had a great week.  I sure did!  We actually got SNOW here yesterday.  IN ARIZONA!  Snow!  That stuck!  I was pretty excited about that, since it really never happens.  And speaking of pretty exciting, I'm here today with a new challenge from CAS-ual Fridays!

CFC91: Incorporate silver into your clean and simple project

The sponsor for this week's challenge is Ribbons Unlimited.  This week's winner will receive a wonderful prize from this great new sponsor!

For this week's card, I incorporated silver in the form of a metallic embossing powder.  And now for the paper yummies:

So, it's difficult to see in the picture above, the word "AMAZING" is embossed with a silver embossing powder.  I stamped the entire sentiment using gray ink, used a VersaMark pen to selectively add embossing ink, then applied and heat-set the embossing powder.  All the patterned papers are from the My Mind's Eye School Daze 6x6 pad, and the stamp and talk bubble die are from this Simon Says Stamp set.  Here's a close-up, showing the silver embossing:

I hope you'll play along with this week's challenge!  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks for looking!

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; patterned papers: My Mind's Eye; stamp, die: Simon Says Stamp; inks: Tsukineko; embossing powder: American Crafts; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps - Happy New Year

Happy Saturday!  I hope everybody's Christmas was as awesome as mine!  My family traveled to Oklahoma to spend Christmas and New Year's with my brother, his wife, and their ADORABLE baby.  She is just too stinkin' cute!!!  I just wished they lived closer so I could see her more than just at Christmas.  But we did have a white Christmas, and even more snow yesterday, so this Arizona girl is having a great time!  We'll be here through New Year's Day.  And speaking of the new year, I have a card to share with you using the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Countdown set. Michele featured this card on the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps blog today. Now for the paper yummies:

I decided to make a shaped card using the Labels Collection Framelits Dies from Stampin' Up!.  I used one of the larger dies to create the card, then used a smaller die to create a mask and apply the pink ink.  Then I stamped the border from the Countdown set across the middle of the card.  After that, I used my embossing buddy across the front of the card, then stamped and embossed the sentiment.  I used Copic markers to color in parts of the border stamp, then added some embroidery floss.  Another single-layer card!  What's gotten into me lately?

Well, I wish everyone the happiest of new years!  Thanks so much for looking!

Supplies: card stock: Stampin' Up!; stamps: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps; inks: Close To My Heart (Hollyhock), Tsukineko (black, embossing ink); embossing powder: American Crafts; dies: Stampin' Up!/Sizzix; embroidery floss: DMC 

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Sneak Peek

WTF?

Did that grab your attention?  Well, that's the name of the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps set I'm sneak peek-ing tonight as we kick off the week long reveal party!  And the stamps are equally as attention-grabbing as the name.  I've loved showing my (non-paper-crafting, of course) friends and family this set and watching their reactions.  Michele is such a clever designer!  She included so many usable phrases to fit the WTF acronym.  I used the set to create this paper yummy:

I love all things Halloween, so I made this card using Halloween colors.  Not only are the "WTF?" and "where's the fun" stamps part of this set, but see those cool linear dots repeated behind the "WTF?"?  That's another stamp in this super fun set!  I just turned it on the diagonal and stamped it in ink colors that matched my patterned papers.  LOVE THAT!!!  Here's a close-up of the sentiment:

I added some machine stitching to the left of the heat-embossed "where's the fun?".  I also added some Black Diamond Stickles to the strips of black cardstock at the top and bottom of the patterned papers.  Here's a close-up:

And here's another view of the card:

I'm so excited to be sharing this sneaky peek with everybody.  This has been such a difficult secret to keep because these stamps are so fun and original, and I know that cardmakers everywhere are going to love them so hard!  Here's a little info about CAS-ual Fridays Stamps, the week-long release party, and how YOU can win these fantastic new stamps:

• CAS-ual Fridays Stamps are the finest quality photopolymer and made in USA.
• There are 5 sets in the new release, one set being revealed each day.   
• We will be giving away a set from each release day, and all you have to do is come to the store blog and comment on each of the sneak posts for your chance to win. 
• If you miss a day of peeks, you can go back to days that you missed and still comment if you're joining the party a little late.  Commenting will close at 11:59 pm EDT next Wednesday night (October 24).
• We will have special guests posting sneak peeks with the Girl Fridays each day of the release week.  We're talkin' some serious talent here, girls!
• Winners will be announced next Thursday (October 25) and the stamps will be available on Friday (October 26) when the store website launches. 
• You can also play along in this week's challenge for your chance to win the entire release!  Um...WOW!
• CAS-ual Fridays Stamps has a Flickr Fan Page where you can feast your eyes on all the wonderful CFS projects at once.

Thank you so much for taking part in our sneak peek week.  I can't wait until everybody has the chance to ink up these babies!  You'll love 'em!

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black); patterned papers: Doodlebug; stamps: CAS-ual Fridays Stamps (WTF?); ink: Tsukineko (black, green, watermark), TPC Studio (purple, orange); embossing powder: Recollections; glitter glue: Stickles by Ranger; corner rounder: We R Memory Keepers; banner die: Lil' Inker Designs; die-cutting machine: Sizzix; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - School is cool

Happy Monday to all!  I just got off work this morning, and have the next six days off!  Yay!  I have the best schedule ever!  I plan to do a TON of crafting and get caught up on several projects.  But first, I'm comin' at ya' with the new Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge!  Since it's the second week of the month, that means...

...it's a sketch challenge!  As I've said many times, these have been some of my favorite challenges since joining the SPARKS design team.  And this week's sketch is no exception, it's another great one that got me thinking.  Here is the sketch:

And here are the paper yummies:

As the sketch lends itself to a CAS style, I decided to stay true to that.  I thought the vertical element in the sketch looked like a giant pencil, so I used the sketch for a back to school card.  To create the pencil, I cut a piece of yellow cardstock to the size I wanted, then scored two vertical lines to mimic the barrel of a wooden pencil.  Then I repeatedly stamped the awesome chevron from Geo-Graphic in a yellow ink.  I cut a piece of pink patterned paper, and rounded the bottom corners for the eraser.  For the "metal" part, I cut down a scrap of kraft cardstock, but any color would work.  I covered it with Versamark ink, then embossed it with metallic pewter embossing powder.  Once I had the metal look I wanted, I ran the piece through my paper crimper.  I created the sentiment using the Alphadot set:

For the circular element in the sketch, I punched a hole in my ledger background paper to make it look like it was notebook paper.  I used a little ribbon scrap and a tiny staple to finish off the card.  It doesn't really translate in the photo, but I used a strip of foam tape down only the middle of the pencil, and adhered the left and right sides down flat.  Here's a close-up of the "metal" crimping:

 

How are you inspired by this week's challenge?  I'm really excited to see how other people interpret this sketch!  You can play along with the challenge here. You have until Sunday, September 16th at 11:59 PM EST to play along.  The winner will receive a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches store!!  And don't forget the check out the rest of Team 2's wonderful creations, and give em' some love!

Angeline

Erica

Jackie

Savannah

Thanks so much for looking! 

 

Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations (kraft, yellow); patterned papers: Echo Park (dot, ledger); stamps: Paper Smooches (Alphadot, Geo-Graphic); inks: TPC Studio (turquoise, yellow), Tsukineko (Versamark); embossing powder: American Crafts; punches: We R Memory Keepers (corner rounder), Hampton Art (circle); ribbon: The Ribbon Boutique; stapler: Ranger

CFC64: Sending you sunshine

Happy Friday!  I'm here with this week's CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

CFC64: Use things you might find in the sky on your clean and simple project

And once again, our fabulous sponsor is Simon Says Stamp. 

They are so generous to sponsor our challenge regularly!  The winner of this week's challenge will receive a gift certificate to spend in their store.  And speaking of this week's challenge, let's get to it!  The timing for this challenge couldn't have been more perfect.  So the theme is "On Cloud 9", but you can use anything you might find in the sky.  While I am on cloud 9 (my first publication is in print this month! YAY!), I chose to bottle up some sunshine in this paper yummy:

                        

I know I've said it before, but the Summer Fresh collection from Simple Stories is the quintessential summer line.  It just screams summer and sunshine-y goodness.  So when I saw this coordinating stamp set from Simple Stories/Unity Stamps, I couldn't resist.  I love that the jar stamp in this set is so big - it's perfect to create a shaped card (about 5 inches tall!).  I stamped it onto white cardstock and also onto some scratch paper.  I cut out the inside of the jar from the scratch paper, and used the negative cut as a mask to stamp all the sunshine inside the jar.  Then I scored and folded the card on the left side of the jar.  I placed some temporary adhesive inside the card to keep the two layers together, then fussy-cut around the outline.  For the sentiment, I used a stamp from the Hero Arts/Studio Calico Heyday Sentiments set.  I masked off the "you are my" above the "sunshine" so that I could hand-write "sending you" instead.  Here is a close-up:

Are you on cloud nine, or could you use a jar full of sunshine?  Either way, I hope you'll play along with this week's challenge.  You have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  We'd love to have you!

Thanks for looking!


Supplies: cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Whisper White), Bazzill (red); stamps: Simple Stories/Unity Stamps (jar, sunshine); Hero Arts/Studio Calico (sentiment); inks: Tsukineko (Memento London Fog, Versamark), TPC Studio (yellow); embossing powder: American Crafts; white gel pen: Uniball Signo; baker's twine: Divine Twine

Simple Card Saturday - Happy Anniversary

Hello, and happy Saturday!  I hope everybody is having a great weekend so far, and trying to stay cool.  I've been slacking the past couple of weeks on my Simple Card Saturday post, so I'm getting back on track this week.  Today I have a card using this week's sketch from Freshly Made Sketches:

I needed to make an anniversary card, and wanted to use some old papers from the American Crafts I Do collection.  I love the colors in this collection, and think they are great for anniversaries since they're not too girly.  This sketch worked out perfectly for this paper yummy:

I just love the way these papers work together!  In fact, see that big gray flower?  It's part of one of the patterned papers from this line, and I just fussy cut around the part that I wanted.  And the solid green strip and scalloped gray strip are the back sides of some of the patterns.  LOVE that about American Crafts papers!  They always give you coordinating solids on the back.  I stamped a sentiment by Hero Arts and embossed it with charcoal powder.  I added some stitching around the edges and a pearl to the middle of the flower, which is popped up on dimensional adhesive.  Here's a close-up:

This card was super simple, and I'll definitely be using this sketch again!  Thanks so much for looking!

I'm playing along here:
Freshly Made Sketches #39
Crafty Catz Challenge #137: Embossing
Truly Scrumptious Challenge #82: Flower Power


Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations; patterned papers, embossing powder: American Crafts; stamp: Hero Arts; ink: Versamark; scalloped edge punch: EK Success; pearl: The Paper Studio; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

CFC57: Be you

Happy Friday to all! I'm back with another fun challenge from CAS-ual Fridays!  This week it's clear as day:

Create a CAS project using acetate or vellum

That's right - the challenge is to use acetate or vellum on your project.  And the sponsor for this week is stamp designer and Girl Friday Karolyn Loncon.  Yep, our very own Karolyn designed 6 stamp sets for Paper Smooches, and the winner will receive ALL 6 SETS!!!  Her sets are some of my faves - they are wonderfully graphic and they build upon each other so nicely.

Okay, on to the challenge.  I always love the look of acetate and vellum, but for some reason they're not really my go-to's.  I should use them more.  I had so much fun creating my card for this challenge.  And here is my paper yummy:

I used a bunch of transparencies from Basic Grey, and used a punch from Stampin' Up! to create windows for the transparencies:

Since my punch wouldn't quite reach to the very middle of the black cardstock, I punched it as far in as it could go from either end, and that left me the perfect space to stamp a sentiment:

I created the "be you" using the Alphadot stamp set from Paper Smooches, and heat embossed it with mustard yellow embossing powder.  I finished off the card with a yellow star transparency backed with white cardstock, a green cardstock star sticker, and a red brad:

I really love the way it turned out.  I love all the little phrases on the transparencies, and I adore the patterns on them!  How about you?  Do you use acetate or vellum often?  We would LOVE to have you play along with this week's challenge, and you have until next Thursday at noon EST to do so.  Thanks so much for looking!  Don't forget to stop by and give all the other Girl Fridays some bloggy love!

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black); transparencies, cardstock sticker: Basic Grey; word window punch: Stampin' Up!; stamps: Paper Smooches; ink: Versamark; embossing powder: American Crafts; brad: craft supply; corner rounder punch: We R Memory Keepers

Enjoy (It's your day)

Happy Sunday and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!  Today I have a lovely card that I made that is a copy of a card I made a few months ago, only then it was a thank you card.  I just changed the sentiment for Mother's Day.  Now for the paper yummies:

I cut a bunch of strips of patterned papers from My Mind's Eye, and arranged them on a piece of white cardstock.  I tilted them different directions and varied the exposed width of each strip.  Then I trimmed the overhang and stitched all the way around the edge as well as where each pattern meets the next.  I used a Hampton Art stamp and embossed it, then cut the label using a Nestabilities die.  I finished off the panel with some ribbon and a brad, then attached it to the card base.  Here is a closer view of the sentiment:

I think this card is really sweet, and it reminds me of a strip quilt.  This type of card is a great way to use up scraps, and could be used for any occasion with a simple change of the sentiment.  Thanks for looking!

I'm playing along here:
AnnaBelle Stamps AC072: Say it With...Stitching
Card Makin' Mamas Challenge #45: May Flowers
Raise the Bar Challenge #104: Mother's Day
The Ribbon Carousel RCC52: Word to Your Mother

Supplies: card base: The Paper Studio; cardstock: Recollections; patterned papers: My Mind's Eye; stamp: Hampton Art; ink: Versamark; embossing powder: American Crafts; label die: Nestabilities by Spellbinders; die cutting machine: Cuttlebug by Provocraft; ribbon, brad: craft supply; sewing machine: Kenmore; quilting thread: Americana

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge - Happy everything

Happy Monday to all!  I'm super excited because today kicks off the term for the new design team at the Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge blog.  Kim has completely re-formatted the challenges, so instead of an inspiration photo every other week, you'll now be able to play along with a new challenge (and see tons of fabulous inspiration from the new DT) EVERY WEEK!  And the type of challenge will be varied as well.  Here are the types of challenges you can expect to see, starting tomorrow, and every Monday thereafter:

• Week 1: Trend Watch (inspiration based on a current trend)
• Week 2: Designer Drafts (sketch challenge)
• Week 3: Cool Shades (color combination challenge)
• Week 4: Picture Perfect (inspiration photo)

Each week will stay the same from month to month; when there is a fifth week in a month, the last week will be an extra week to participate for challenge 4.  Another exciting change is that the design team has been split into 2 groups.  Group 1 will be creating projects for the first and third weeks, and group 2 will have the second and fourth.  Here's the breakdown of the teams:

Group ONE (week 1/3): Kasia, Heather, Glenda, and Lori

Group TWO (week 2/4): Angeline, Kimberly (your's truly), Jackie, and Erica

Fun , right???  Plus, the amazingly talented Savannah is staying on the team, and will serve as coordinator.  She and Kim have truly outdone themselves with this new re-structuring.  I'm so excited to see what awesome projects come out of this!  I mean, just look at these cute new graphics!

Okay, onto the challenge for this week, the Trend Watch.  Even though I'm in group 2, I still created a card for today's challenge. It will be linked up to the challenge gallery rather than in the blog post itself.  The inspiration is this:

I love the cloud/sunshine trend that's so popular right now, and couldn't resist making a card based on this picture.  Now for the paper yummies:

The cloud is a sticker from the Echo Park "Little Boy" Collection Kit.  The yellow patterned paper is from the same collection, but it's normally yellow and white striped, so I colored it with Prismacolor markers for a yellow-on-yellow paper.  I die cut a circle to create my sun, and stamped a cute little face from the Alfresco stamp set.  I stitched along the edges of the cloud, and stamped a sentiment from Simply Said.  For the background (which looks better in person than it does photographed), I stamped the polka dots from the Geo-Graphic set and heat embossed them with white powder. You may be able to see it better here:

I hope you will play along with this challenge.  For each challenge, there will be a PS PRO. This PS PRO will receive a banner for their blog and a $30 credit to the Paper Smooches store.  You have until Sunday, May 13 at 11:59 PM EST to play along.

Did you know?  Paper Smooches is now on Pinterest! Come follow the entire team and company here!!! 

Thanks for looking!

I'm playing along here:

Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge: The Sky is the Limit

Supplies: cardstock: Georgia Pacific; patterned paper, sticker: Echo Park; stamps: Paper Smooches (Alfresco, Simply Said, Geo-Graphic); ink: Tsukineko (Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black); embossing powder: American Crafts; circle die: Nestabilities; die cut machine: Cuttlebug; markers: Prismacolor; ribbon: Michael's; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer; dimensional adhesive: American Crafts

CPS 263 and Color Throwdown 190

Hello again!  I'm back with my second post for today (for my Simple Card Saturday post, click here).  For this card I used this week's sketch from Card Positioning Systems:

I also used this yummy color combination from Color Throwdown:

I actually liked this combination so much that this is the second card I made using it.  I'll be posting the first card I made tomorrow, and it's SUPER cute, so make sure you come back to see it!  Okay, for this card, I wanted to use a nice big "baby boy" stamp I got recently, and I thought it would be perfect for the large horizontal element in the card sketch.  So I created this paper yummy:

Man, I just love those colors together!  They work so perfectly for a baby boy card, but also for a feminine card.  In fact, the first card I made for this color challenge was a Mother's Day card, and I even used the exact same patterned papers too!  I'm definitely going to have to keep this combination in the ol' ideas file.

The baby stamp is from a Recollections (Michael's brand) set I got on clearance a few weeks back.  I love the subtle tiny polka dot pattern in the stamp.  I stamped it in Versamark ink, which looked good enough on that gray cardstock to leave it alone, but I'm glad I went with the mustard embossing powder.  It really pops, and matches the yellow paper perfectly!

The "welcome" stamp is from the Paper Smooches Simply Said set.  It has the most awesome sentiments!  I embossed it with charcoal embossing powder.  I machine stitched around the edges of the patterned papers, then finished off the card with these perfect buttons and baker's twine:

Now I just need to find somebody who's expecting a boy... oh wait, that would mean I would actually be giving this card away. Never mind.

I'm playing along here:
Card Positioning Systems Sketch #263
Color Throwdown Challenge #190
CropStop Challenge #70: Emboss It (2nd entry)
Little Red Wagon Challenge #131: Stitch It Up (2nd entry)
One Stop Craft Challenge #181: Celebrations

Supplies: cardstock: Core'dinations (gray), Georgia Pacific (white); patterned papers: Echo Park (blue), My Mind's Eye (yellow), KI Memories (green); stamps: Recollections (baby boy), Paper Smooches (welcome); ink: Versamark; embossing powders: American Crafts; corner rounder, hole punch: We R Memory Keepers; baker's twine: Divine Twine; buttons: Buttons Galore & More; sewing machine: Kenmore; thread: Singer

Paper Smooches April Guest Designer, week 3 (pic heavy)

Happy Thursday! I can't believe it's already the third week of my term as April's guest designer for Paper Smooches Stamps. I guess time truly does fly when you're having fun! Today I'm here to show you the cards that Kim featured on the blog yesterday. The first card, I made intending to be a wedding card, but you could also use it as a retirement card for someone special. Now for the paper yummies:

I created this card using the large "flower" from the Potpourri set, and the solid circle (sun/moon) from the Get Outta Town set. I stamped the large flowers in white ink, then stamped the circle four times in each center using navy ink. With a craft knife, I cut each flower out completely. I adhered a layer of navy polka dot paper under the kraft cardstock, filling in the negative space. Then I adhered only the center of each flower back in it's respective place. I curled each petal up, and added a pearl to each center. Here's a close up:

I combined two sentiments from the Simply Said set, and stamped one in white and the other (embossed) in navy. You can see that here:

I just love that patterned paper peeking through from behind the flowers.

And speaking of flowers, here is the second card Kim featured this week. I actually made two versions of this card, and the first is the one featured on the Paper Smooches blog:

To create the flowers on this card, I lightly free-handed some stems with a pencil to figure out my placement. Then, I used the solid heart stamp from the Pretty Momma set to make a flower, stamping the heart eight times per color. I stamped the sentiment from Simply Said, then erased the parts of the pencil lines that intersected the sentiment. I used green thread to machine stitch stems over the remaining pencil lines, and added a matching button to the center of each flower.

Now, let's just pause here for a moment, and let me issue an official

***SQUEAL ALERT***

for the second version of this card. No, really. I must.

Okay...are you ready?

I HEART THESE POM POMS!!! I made them using baker's twine, and just love everything about them! They match PERFECTLY and just add a little squeal factor to these flowers. And they were super simple to make. I used this tutorial that's all over Pinterest. Here's another view:

And the sentiment/stems:

Alright - thanks for sticking with me through all those pics! Have a great day!

Card 1 is playing along here:

Cupcake Craft Challenges #188: In the Deep End

Paper Pretties Monday Challenge: Embossing (I heat embossed the navy sentiment)

Paper Sundaes Challenge 116: Anything Goes

Card 2 is playing along here:

Lily Pad Cards Flower Challenge

Mojo Monday 237 Sketch

Ooh-la-la Creations Challenge 103: Bold & Bright

Pile It On #16: Pop It Up (I popped buttons up onto the middles of the pompom flowers)

The Ribbon Carousel Challenge RCC49: Color-a-licious with Totally Stampalicious

Sweet Stampin' Challenge: Girly But No Pink