Daffodil Friend

I didn't get a chance to make a card today (gasp!!!). We had to go car shopping today with Luke. He had a bad week last week and had been really, really good this week. He needed a reward to (hopefully) let him know that being good has it's rewards. It's really hard for a 2 yr. old. Fortunately for us, the little cars that he loves are only $1.00 each or less. Wish we could be as easily satisfied. He slept with his cars at nap time. I think it was a happy day for all of us.

So, this is a card I made last week and never got posted. I used the colors from the color challenge of Concord Crush, Daffodil Delight & Pear Pizzazz. I even took on dessert with a little dew drop rhinestone.
I used the BIG GUY to emboss the main card with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder and used the texture plate on the 3" x 4 1/4" middle piece. I cut ovals with the Sizzix Original Ovals die. The large one is Pear Pizzazz and the Medium one is Whisper White.

I used Daffodil Delight & Pear Pizzazz SU Markers to ink the stamp from the Friends Never Fade set. This was stamped on the white oval. The Pear Pizzazz marker inked the sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes which was then punched with the Word Window punch. I inked the edges of the main card with Concord Crush to add some balance with the Concord mat. to do this, I held the ink pad at a 45° angle and brushed it across all the edges. Hint, be careful not to get the ink on your fingers. It will smudge and make you think negative thoughts, believe me! I used the same technique with Pear Pizzazz ink on the word window too.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Friends Never Fade, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Concord Crush, Daffodil Delight & Pear Pizzazz SU Markers
Paper: Whisper White, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz
Acc.: Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Backgrounds 1 Texturz Plate, Original Ovals die, Word Window Punch, Rhinestone

I hope to get a card made tomorrow with a stick in it. Does that sound intriguing? I have no idea what I'm going to do for that! Hopefully, I'll think of something.

'Til then,
Bonnie

Sketchy Sketch

This is made sort of following the sketch that Roxie gave us to work with today. You can see the sketch here. I almost passed on this one. It just had too many pieces and I'm such a Clean & Simple gal. But a challenge isn't a challenge if it's easy. Right?

I decided to use the colors from the color challenge, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride & Early Expresso. The Watercolor Trio stamp set was perfect for the size of the design area. It's such a shame that this set will only be available until August 31st. It has been one of my all time favorite sets. I'll still use it, but I hate that it won't be available any more.

I inked the flowers with the Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride & Old Olive SU markers and stamped them on the 1 1/2" x 2 3/4" Whisper White. I matted this in Early Expresso and rounded the top corner of each piece with the Corner Rounder Punch.

The actual card base is out of Early Expresso and measures 3 1/2" x 5 1/2". I embossed a piece of Whisper White with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. It measures 3 1/8" x 5 1/4".

Then comes the tricky part and I'm not sure I got it right. You can look at the sketch and judge for yourself. I cut the strips as close as I could figure out in the Blushing Bride & Riding Hood Red. I put them all in the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder and ran them through the BIG GUY. I wasn't too crazy about them so I punched the ends with the Scallop Trim Border Punch. They still didn't look quite right so I added some flowers from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack that I just got. A tiny pearl from the Pearl Jewels set topped them off. The top corner of the design looked like it needed something so I put another pearl there.

This card was a struggle for me but I did something close to the sketch anyway. I'm ready for something easier tomorrow!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Watercolor Trio
Paper: Early Expresso, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride, Old Olive SU Markers
Acc.: Big Shot, Square Lattice & Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folders, Scallop Trim Border, Corner Rounder & Itty Bitty Shapes Punches, Pearls

That's all for today.
Bonnie

Fast and Fabulous Rubies

I did this card for the Color Challenge this week on SCS to use Riding Red, Blushing Bride & Early Expresso. Dessert this week is something new.

The card base is Blushing Bride stamped in Blushing Bride ink with the filigree stamp from the Elements of Style stamp set.

The main design is from the Fast & Fabulous set. It's a Level 2 Hostess Set.

From now until August 31 if you have a $350.00 workshop, you earn an extra $25.00 in free merchandise as well as a Level 1 or Level 2 hostess set and $40.00 in free merchandise. Did you count that up? That's $65.00 in free merchandise!

Ok, now back to the card. The flower is a two-step flower and I stamped both the solid and the outline in Riding Hood Red on a scrap piece of Whisper White. This red is a new core color. It's a little richer than the Ruby Red that has been discontinued. The design is matted on Riding Hood Red & Early Expresso. I used the Ticket Corner Punch on all the corners to dress it up a bit.

I stamped the sentiment from the Elements of Style set in Early Expresso. Typically, I stamped it crooked. It is a clear mount stamp too. I'm not sure how I managed to stamp it crooked! Not to be deterred, I stamped it again on some scrap Blushing Bride that I stamped with the filigree like the base card. I used the 1" Circle Punch to cut it out. It worked out well because I thought of the little bit of Riding Hood Red ribbon I had left over in the drawer and made a little tab to put behind the sentiment.

For dessert, I used some of the new Rhinestone jewels on page 188 of the new Idea Book & Catalog. Check them out. They're large packages and self sticking.

Hope you have had a wonderful day and maybe got a chance to stamp.

Let me know if you want to host a workshop and get the extra hostess benefits.

Bonnie

Awash with Plaid

Hello stampin' friends. I tried the Technique Lovers Challenge on SCS this week. Sometimes it's too complicated as in cards that move. This week was to ink in plaid. It's really cool, don't you think?

You have to use a solid stamp. Ink it in the lightest color, then lay the edge of a contrasting ink pad on the stamp a few times with about 1/2" between. Repeat with another color ink pad with the darkest color. You can find complete directions here. Thank you Joan.

I used the Awash with Flowers stamp set and just used the filler stamps. I used Blushing Bride, Peach Parfait, and Pear Pizzazz for the tulip and So Saffron, Peach Parfait & Pear Pizzazz for the petals on the other flower. I cut the flowers out and adhered to the top note with dimensionals. I stamped the stems directly on the top note and used Pear Pizzazz, Wild Wasabi, & Soft Suede to plaid the leaves. They are also cut out and adhered with dimensionals.

I sponged some Peach & Pear around the edge of the top note with sponge daubers and doodled with the Pear Pizzazz marker. I dotted the center of the tulip with the Peach Parfait marker. A pearl from the retired Pretties kit finished off the design.

All is attached to a base card of Peach Parfait that has been embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.

I can use this for Mother Mark's Teapot Challenge this week too. These bloomers look like they are on a pinafore atop a smocked dress, if you use your imagination a bit. This challenge is all about imagination! You can read the story here.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Awash with Flowers, Short & Sweet
Paper: Peach Parfait, Whisper White
Ink: Blushing Bride, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron, Whild Wasabi, Soft Suede
Acc.: Big Shot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder, Top Note Die, Pearl, Dimensionals

This card uses a lot of the In Colors. Did you notice? Aren't they delicious?

Hope you enjoyed seeing this technique. Now it's your turn.

Enjoy,
Bonnie

Polka Dots and Decorative Paper

Was it last week that I mentioned my extensive collection of Decorative Paper? I really need some help with getting my stash down. The reason is because I'm drooling over several of Stampin' Up!'s new DSP sets. My room and stash space is limited so I'm on a no growth policy. Can't buy any more until I get rid of some.


Today's CAS challenge, to use polka dots, was a big help. My friend Karen gave me some awesome paper last year. I think she thought I would be doing a scrapbook for my granddaughter.


It exhausts me to think about scrapbooks. I have several photo albums that are falling apart and probably a million pictures stashed in various boxes. Do you have any idea how many scrapbooks that would entail? I would have to do for all 3 daughters and all 4 grandchildren. My oh my. I don't think so!


But this paper was perfect for the challenge and I just happen to need some cards to give as a shower gift to a young friend who is expecting a baby girl in a couple of months.

I had already cut into the paper, so I don't know who to credit for it, except Karen of course. The stamp is from a long ago retired set called Wonderful Words. I stamped it in Basic Gray. The pink strip was in my scrap box. The card is Whisper White & the ribbon is Pretty in Pink Satin. I used the Scallop Edge Punch on both long sides of the pink and the Scallop Trim Corner Punch on the ends of the sentiment piece.

The second card is even simpler. Again, I don't know who to credit the paper to. The card base is Whisper White. The sentiment is from Kind & Caring thoughts and stamped in Cherry Cobbler. The ribbon is Whisper White Satin. I wrapped a piece around the paper and attached a bow with glue dots.

Both of these are super simple and quick. Perfect for sets.

It's so much fun working with baby pink. It brings back memories of making announcements for Emme, and holding her, and rocking her. She's such a sweetie now, but she's too busy for much more than a quick kiss and cuddle with Nana. She was here yesterday and her cousin Luke, who is two, showed her how to lift her feet when she dances. Needless to say, we had some high steppin' going on around here. Her cousin Gavin, 5 was playing some funky music on the computer to keep them going. What fun!

Hope you got to spend time with loved ones over the weekend. Hope you got to stamp too.

Enjoy,

Bonnie