New Feature – Stamper Spotlight

I have a new feature for you that I am calling Stamper Spotlight. Once a week (hopefully) I will be introducing you to a stamper that I feel deserves recognition for their art. My first stamper in the spotlight is none other than the famous (or should I say infamous) Toy (aka Holly McMillen) .

Holly is well known for her layering and incredible attention to detail in her amazing cards.  The card below is one of my very favorites.

Many of you know Holly from her incredible gallery on SCS. What you may not know is that besides being one of the most talented stampers on SCS, Holly is also a wonderful and dedicated friend. I am so blessed to count her among my very best friends. I am so lucky to have been able to get to know her personally over the last few months. She has been there for me daily in my battle with rheumatoid arthritis with support and encouragement. I am so excited that my family and I have been invited to visit Holly and her family this summer. This is a trip I seriously cannot wait for!! Thank you Holly for your inspiration, your support and most of all your friendship!! Love ya sister!!

WishRAK May Card Contest

These are some cards I made for the WishRAK May Card Contest.  For the first category we were to use any punch and the colors Marigold Morning, Pixie Pink and Cool Caribbean.  I added Chocolate Chip to tone down the brightness just a bit.

Stamps: Stampin’ Up! – Looks Like Spring

Paper: Stampin’ Up! – Chocolate Chip, Marigold Morning, Cool Caribbean, Pixie Pink, White

Ink: Stampin’ Up! – Chocolate Chip, Marigold Morning, Cool Caribbean

Accessories: Scalloped Square Punches, Paper Piercing, Daisy Punch, Silver Brads, Dimensionals, Stardust Stickles

For category #2 we were to use only black and white – no other colors allowed – and a Non Stampin’ Up! stamped image.  I had this zebra stamp from My Heart Stamps for You and thought he would make a perfect black and white card.  The Cuttlebug background and the ribbon came from WishRAK.

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You – Zebra, Sentiment – Happy Everything (Stampin’ Up!)

Paper: Black, White

Ink: Black, Versamagic Chalk White

Accessories: Cuttlebug Tiny Mosaic BG, Ribbon, White Brad, Paper Crimper, Dimensionals

More Design Team cards

Here are some more cards I’ve made for my design team submissions for My Heart Stamps for You.

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You – Bouquet

Paper: Stampin’ Up! – Always Artichoke, Almost Amethyst, Barely Banana, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Stampin’ Up! – Cool Caribbean, Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal, Old Olive; Stazon Jet Black

Accessories: Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Silver Brads, Creative Memories Corner Punch, Ribbon (Michael’s), Stardust Gel Pen

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You – Elk

Paper: Stampin’ Up! – Close to Cocoa, Always Artichoke, Confetti White

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Close to Cocoa (Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Gamsol, Ribbon (Michael’s), Paper Piercing, Plaid Dimensional Magic

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You – Violet Basket

Paper: Stampin’ Up! – Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst, Blush Blossom, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Stampin’ Up! – Almost Amethyst, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip; Stazon Timber Brown

Accessories: Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder, Creative Memories Corner Punch, Ribbon (Michael’s), Stardust Stickles, Paper Piercing

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You – Strawberries

Paper: Red Linen Cardstock, Black, White

Ink: Stazon Jet Black

Accessories: Ribbon (Michael’s), Prismacolor Pencils, Plaid Dimensional Magic, Paper Piercing, White Gel Pen

I am having so much fun working with these stamps from My Heart Stamps for You. They have beautiful, well crafted stamps. I challenge you to check them out!!

I’m so EXCITED!!!

I just have to share my good news!! I’ve been accepted as a member of the Design Team for My Heart Stamps for You Rubber Stamps. They have wonderful images on thick, red rubber. You can get their stamps either mounted or unmounted – whichever is your preference. Personally, I like the unmounted. For me it is a space issue. I store my unmounted stamps in CS cases on a bookshelf. In any case, please check them out and try out their stamps. I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with them. Tell them I sent you!!

Here is the first card I made using the My Heart Stamps for You (MHSFY) stamps. I LOVE this pot of geraniums. It is an absolutely gorgeous image and perfect for watercoloring. For the background on the mustard cardstock I used the Early American Lg. Flower from MHSFY. It is a very simple card but I think it turned out really pretty.

Stamps: My Heart Stamps for You Geranium and Early American Lg. Flower

Ink: Stazon Timber Brown, Ruby Red, Cranberry Crisp, More Mustard, Marigold Morning , Old Olive, Always Artichoke and Bliss Blue (all ink except Stazon from Stampin’ Up!)

Paper: Watercolor Paper, Mustard and Red (supplier unknown)

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch (Stampin’ Up!), Antique Copper Brads, White Polkadot Ribbon (Starlit Studio), Yellow Stickles

Virginia Tech Sympathy

This card was made for one of the families whose daughter was killed at Virginia Tech last week. Thanks go out to Emily Giovanni who hosts the Color Combo Challenge on Splitcoaststampers each week for suggesting this. I think it is the least I can do to show my support for these families.

I combined three challenges for this week on this card. The first being today’s Color Combo Challenge which was to use the Virginia Tech colors (Pumpkin Pie and Bravo Burgundy) and make a sympathy card. I also added a “Levi tab” to the card which was the theme of yesterday’s Technique challenge. Finally I CASE’d this card from Julie Buhler (reneejul1 on SCS) for this week’s Featured Stamper challenge. I changed the colors and the background stamp for this challenge but since I love this set and Julie’s layout I kept those the same.

All supplies Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Natural Beauty, Filigree

Ink: Stazon Timber Brown, Bravo Burgundy, Pumpkin Pie, Close to Cocoa

Paper: Pumpkin Pie, Bravo Burgundy, White

Accessories: Diamond Stickles, Paper Piercing, Dimensionals

IC72 – Sassy Stripes

I am so proud of myself. I am 6 for 6 on this week’s challenges. If you are a stamper and not a member of Splitcoaststampers I ask you “WHY NOT?”. This is THE BEST site for all things stamping related. The people on this site are so nice and so supportive and best of all SO TALENTED!! I have only been a member since October and I have learned so much from this talented group of people. One of my favorite parts of this site is the daily challenges. These challenges are absolutely wonderful for jumpstarting your creativity to help get you out of a rut or better yet stretch your creativity and think out of the box.

Ok – today’s challenge was the Inspiration Challenge. The hostess picks something (today it was a purse) and we are to use that item for inspiration to make our card. You can use any element of the inspiration piece as your jumping off point. For me, it was the stripes. I had a piece of patterned paper that reminded me of the stripes on the purse and I ran with it from there.

I also make this card to fit the April WishRAK card challenge for Category #1. We were to use the set Sassy Stems (images received through WishRAK) and any colors we chose to make a card. This card fits the bill quite well. I did received the image through WishRAK as well as the fibers on this cards.

I didn’t have the round tab punch but I like the look of it and decided to find out if I could make my own. I punched a 1 1/2″ circle with my circle punch and folded it in half. Then I unfolded it and punched small slivers out of the edge so that the fold is in the middle. It’s not an exact match to the tab punch but it’s pretty close and fine for my needs. I already have the circle punches and don’t know that I would really use the tab punch enough to justify the purchase. So I’ll be happy and use my substitute. (LOL)

All supplies from Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted.

Stamps: Sassy Stems

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Cool Caribbean, Old Olive, Sahara Sand

Paper: Old Olive, Cameo Coral, Cool Caribbean, White, Patterned Paper (unknown)

Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Fibers, 1 1/2 & 3/4″ circle punches, Yellow, Fruit Punch and Stardust Stickles, Crystal Effects.

You didn’t really think I could make a card without Stickles did you? Of course not. They add so much to the card with just a little bit. And the best part is – there’s no mess!! Well, that is until you stick your finger in it by accident (lol) but that’s another story.

Happy stamping!!

LSC112 – Buggy Birthday

Today’s Limited Supply Challenge on Splitcoaststampers was to make a birthday card in 45 minutes or less using bugs or critters on the card. I decided to use this butterfly as my focal point and if you don’t count the time for the Stickles to dry it was done in way less than 45 minutes.

I used Tempting Turquoise stamped with Linen in Taken with Teal as my base. Then I layered a piece of ancient Luscious Lime (retired SU) CS with Cool Caribbean which was stamped with Itty Bitty Backgrounds and ticket punched the corners. ** Anyone that can remember Luscious Lime is definitely an SU veteran, lol.** I stamped the butterfly from Reason to Smile in Versamark on the Glossy CS and then brayered over it with the Caribbean Sea Kaleidacolor pad. The Versamark resisted the colored ink leaving a white butterfly showing through the color. It’s hard to see but it’s there. I added the Michael’s ribbon and the saying from Riveting and stamped another butterfly on Glossy CS with the same Kaleidacolor pad. I cut out this second butterfly and scored it along the body so I could raise the wings up and attached it over the first one with dimensionals. Just because I had them and they matched I added the Prima flowers with some crystal brads as the centers. Bet you can’t guess what I added next… Stickles, of course. I used Waterfall and Stardust stickles on the colored butterfly and Stardust stickles on the greeting. Quick, easy and bright. Hope you like it!!

Another Birthday Card

I had to make another birthday card for my other cousin (a twin to the one I made the card for yesterday). I used the Delight in Life set which my buddy, Holly, so graciously sent me. Thanks Holly!! You’re such an awesome friend!!

All supplies are Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted.

I used Chocolate Chip as my card base and then layered the lower part of the card with the distresses aqua paper from the Basic Grey Blush line. These are such GORGEOUS papers!! If you haven’t gotten any of them yet you MUST!! For the semi-circle on the top portion of the card I traced around my roll of foam tape on another piece of the Basic Grey Blush paper and cut it out. I traced around the tape a second time on a piece of Chocolate Chip and layered the stripe on it. Before I attached it to my card base I used my Crop-a-Dile and set two antique copper eyelets in the stripe layer and threaded a piece of twine through and tied it in a knot. Now I attached the stripe semi-circle to the card base. I stamped the large and small flower 3 times each on Very Vanilla CS and watercolored them with my aquapainter and Cool Caribbean and Tempting Turquoise inks. Then I cut all six flowers out. Tip: I’ve found it’s easiest to cut these flowers out by cutting around the outside linking all of the petal tips together and then cutting between the petals. Before I mounted the flowers to the card base I stamped the flourish from Delight in Life in the bottom left corner and in the upper right corner below the stripe layer. Then I attached two of the large flowers in the lower left corner and the third I mounted on foam tape to pop it up. The small flowers I attached on the upper right corner of the stripe layer – again two flat on the paper and the third on dimensionals. Then I stamped the greeting from this set in the lower right corner. Done you say? Nope – not quite. Being the Stickles addict that I am I HAD to glitter up these flowers just a little. I used Yellow Stickles for all of the flower centers and Waterfall Stickles for the lines on the flower petals. I also used Stardust Stickles to give the dots on the flourishes a little umph. Ok – NOW it’s done. What do you think?

Stamps: SU Delight in Life

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Basic Grey Blush patterned paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise, Cool Caribbean

Accessories: Antique Copper Brads, Twine, Yellow, Waterfall and Stardust Stickles, Foam Tape

Sketch Challenge 120

Today’s challenge was a sketch using 3 small vertical panels on the card base under a large main focal point panel. I made this as a birthday card for my cousin. Over the weekend she told me how much she liked another card I made using Roses in Winter so I chose that set to use for her card as well.

All supplies used are Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted.

First I stamped Linen BG on Cameo Coral CS with Cameo Coral ink. Then I embossed 2 pieces of Barely Banana (1.5″ x 4″) and 1 piece of Certainly Celery (2″ x 4″) with the Cuttlebug Textile Embossing Folder. I rubbed the corresponding color of ink over the embossing to highlight it and adhered it to the base. I then stamped the roses on Very Vanilla using Barely Banana ink and rolled the edges with Cameo Coral. I stamped 2 sets of each of the 3 rose stamps for each large rose and 2 sets of each of the smaller 2 rose stamps for the smaller roses. I then added the greenery in Always Artichoke and Mellow Moss. Lastly I added the small flowers in Almost Amethyst. Then I layered this on a Cameo Coral layer and adhered it to the base with dimensionals. I added a birthday greeting layered on Certainly Celery with an antique copper eyelet on either side of the greeting and popped it up on dimensionals on the rose layer. Ta da!! Finished card!! Well, not quite. It looked like it needed something but what? Ah ha!! Stickles!! I added Diamond Stickles around the edge of the greeting layer and the rose layer. Now it’s finished. I hope my cousin likes it as much as I do.

Hello world!

Well, it’s official…I’ve entered the realm of blogging.  Please bear with me as I learn all the tricks and tips that makes this blog go.  What you’ll find on my blog is primarily a journal of my stamping and scrapbooking crafts.  But occasionally you might find something else fun.  Stay tuned!!