A Little Inspiration

Forest Friends Birthday (MOJO183)

 
The sketch this week is pretty simple and since I'm always in need of boy cards.  I decided to make a Happy Birthday card fitting for a boy.  The challenge was to find a stamp set that works.  I picked Forest Friends, one of the stamp sets you can recieve for free as part of Sale-a-bration with a $50.00 Stampin' Up! order.

• I started with Whisper White and layered Pear Pizazz (Hostess Level 1 Designer Series In Color Pack). 

• I stamped the images in Early Espresso and Pear Pizazz.

• The bottom band is Early Espresso, embossed with Perfect Polka Dots and cut with the Top Note die. 

• Then, I folded the ribbon in half and adhered the edges together and tied a button from Button Latte (in the Clearance Rack) on the ribbon.

• And, to get an extra circle for the owl, I cut a 1-1/2" circle of Pear Pizazz with the Circle Scissors plus.

• I felt like the card needed something else, so I add a 1/2" cirlce of Poppy Parade behind the Happy Birthday sentiment that I stamped on a leftover piece from the Petal Cone die.

     Paper: Whisper White, Pear Pizazz, Early Espresso, Designer Seris Pack - In Color (Hostess Level1)

Stamps: Forest Friends (123913) Pedaling Past (available in MDS) & Teeny Tiny Wishes (115370)

Ink: Early Espresso & Poppy Pararde

Tools: Circle Scissors Plus (112530), Glass Mat (112531), 1-3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (119854), 1-1/4" Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch (119860), 1/2" Circle Punch (119869), Top Note Die (113463), Perfect Polka Dots (117335) & Petal Cone Die (121810)

Embellishments: 1-1/4" Early Espresso Grosgrain Ribbon, (119961), Linen Thread (104199), Button Latte (114333)

Happy Stamping!

A Little of This & That (MOJO181) Hybrid

I put together this quick card using the MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge (MOJO181) and bits and pieces of paper leftover from last week's projects.

I started with a layer of Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke.  I layered some leftover Springtime Vintage along with some Very Vanilla (embossed with Elegant Lines) and then a couple layers of Springtime Vintage edged with Baja Breeze.

The cute little bird is an old set, Spring Song that I just can't part with - it's so cute.  For the flourish, Little Leaves and for the flower, a little 1/2" Seam Binding in Baja Breeze with a Chocolate Chip Corduroy Brad in the center.

I'm working on a Petal Cone Tutorial for you and some fun Easter Goodies as well as a 'sneak peek' of a project I'm doing as a guest designer for craftprojecentral.com.

Supplies:

Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, Springtime Vintage DSP

Stamps: Spring Song (retired)

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Punches: 1/8", 1 3/4" Circle & 2 3/8" Scallop Circle, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Pinking Hearts Border, and Build a Blossom Punches

BigShot: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Little Leaves

Embellishments: 1/2" Baja Breeze Seam Binding & Chocolate Chip Corduroy Button

I hope your week is off to a great start. 

Happy Stampin'!

Hybrid Easel Card (MOJO180)

Every once in a while, this labor of love that we call stamping can actually be frustrating.  I love the concept of this card and creating an easel card is so much easier than it looks.  But, when attempting to make a circle card, one should really have the right tools or be prepared, patient, and inventive.

I got inventive but I have to admit, a little frustrated.

Note to self: get the Circle Scissors Plus :-)

This card uses the MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge (MOJO180) and can be done in a circle, square or any other shape.

Have I mentioned how much I love the Springtime Vintage Designer Sereis Paper (DSP)?  I have the paper as a My Digital Studio (MDS) download and I recently downloaded the Easter Blossoms stamp set that came out about a week ago.  It's so nice to be able to alter the DSP by reducing the opacity and then layering a "stamp" on top.

So, to create the card, I started with Chocolate Chip as the card base.  Then layered Whisper White and then various paper from Sprintime Vintage DSP.

The bird is Two-Step Bird Extra-Large (117191) and the center of the 'flower' is a pearl from the old Pretties Kit.

I used the Basic Pearls on the top circle and the inside sentiment. (119247)

I will definitely try my hand at more Easel cards and if you would like a tutorial, just let me know.  They are surprisingly simple and great fun!

Supplies:

Paper:Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Springtime Vintage DSP (121782)

Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, & Early Espresso

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes & Eastern Blossoms

Big Shot: Scallop Circle (113468), 3" Circle (122125), & 3 1/2" Circle (121811)

Punches: 2 3/8" Scallop Cirlce Punch Extra-Large (118874), 1 1/4" Circle Large (119861), 1 3/8" Circle Large (119860), Scallop Oval Extra-Large (119856), & Decorative Label Punch (120907)

Embellishments: 1/2" Seam Binding in Baja Breeze (122331), Half Pearl old Pretties Kit, & Basic Pearls (119247)

Remember with every $50.00 in purchases, you receive a free stamp set from the Sale-a-bration Catalog!  (Be sure to check out the last page of the catalog for stamp sets from the most recent Idea Book & Catalog.) 

Need a catalog?  View and download them here.

Want to learn how to make this card?  Download the tutorial for $3.95.

It's Monday (MOJO144)

It's definitely a Monday...so I'm trying to 'kick start' the week with a little MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge (MOJO144).

• I had some old 3x5 cards laying around so I decided to use one for the base.

• Layered Crumb Cake embossed with Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder

• Stamped Fast & Fabulous in Early Espresso & Cajun Craze on Vanilla

• Sponged the edges in Crumb Cake

• Needed a decorative band to go across the bottom so I made some Designer Paper with a coordinating stamp on Vanilla in Cajun Craze that I also sponged and layered on Early Espresso

• A couple of Chocolate Chip Brads (retired - thanks Liz!)

• Finally the sentiment from "Because I Care" in Early Espresso.

Technique Tip:

When you get this stamp set, you'll notice that it stamps in a little 'grid pattern'.  Use your blender pen or aqua painter to blend the ink together.

Supplies:

Paper: Crumb Cake, Vanilla, Early Espresso & Cajun Craze

Ink: Early Espresso, Cajun Craze & Crumb Cake

Stamps: Fast & Fabulous (Hostess Level 2) & Because I Care (Hostess Level 1)

Other: Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, Chocolate Chip Brads (retired), & Curly Label Punch

Introducing Fast & Fabulous - MOJO143

Have I mentioned that I am in love with the new 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog?  There are so many scrumptious new stamps, papers, and of course - Colors!

I started with the MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge (MOJO143) (taking the liberty of lengthening the panels) and two wonderful NEW COLORS: Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso along with a good standby - Vanilla.

• NEW Hostess Level 2 Stamps Set - Fast and Fabulous is a two-step stamp set that can be used together or separately.  I used both the petals and the outline for the panels and just the outline for the sentiment background
• The panel is in vanilla and gives texture with the Lattice Square Embossing Folder (Summer Mini Catalog)
• The sentiment is from the Tiny Tags set (Summer Mini Catalog)

And, a little touch inside...

All of these NEW products are available JULY 1st or in the Summer Mini Catalog until August 31st.

Supplies:

Paper: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler & Vanilla

Ink: Early Espresso & Cherry Cobbler

Stamps: Fast & Fabulous & Tiny Tags

Punches: Scallop Circle, Jewelry Tag, 1 1/2" & 1/4" Circle Punches

Other: Square Lattice Embossing Folder (BigShot)

Thanks for stopping by!  To place an order, click here.

Dad (MOJO141)

Well, MOJO Monday (MOJO141) is long gone (last week's anyway), but I love the sketch and used it as the basis for today's card.

We had the choice of round or square:

It's so dang cute, I might have to do a round card too.

I went ahead and decorated the inside too, but looking at the picture, I'm thinking a little strip of textured whisper white along the blue strip would look really nice...might have to go back and add that...

I don't have markers so I carefully inked the stamp on the top and bottom and then used my blender pen to ink "Father's".  It looks a little fuzzy here  but good in 'real life'.

Supplies:

Paper: Riding Hood Red, Crumb (aka Kraft), Not Quite Navy & Whisper White

Ink: Riding Hood Red & Not Quite Navy

Stamps: All Holidays, Defining Alphabet & Sweet Little Sentiments (Hostess)

Punches: Tab, Scallop Border, Scallop Square, 1 1/4" square

Other: Striped Real Red Gross Grain Ribbon, Lattice Embossing Folder & Circle Brad

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend.

To place an order, click here.

Cherry Cobbler Debut (Mojo 140)

What a great way to start the day!  A little creative Mojo before the daily chores begin.  I was up early and when I saw the sketch for today's MOJO Monday Challenge (MOJO140), I was ready to go.

I had stamped the Elements of Style image in JetBlack on vanilla a couple of days ago and then didn't use it.  Well, this was the perfect opportunity.

I really wanted to use Riding Hood Red for the background - it's a much deeper color than Real Red, but I used the last piece months ago. 

However, I do have ONE piece of the upcoming Cherry Cobbler and that worked great!  (Coming July 1st.)  Isn't it pretty?  I love that it is such a deep red.  It's going to be perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, and this card!

I used Riding Hood Red re-inker and ink pad (with watercolor pen) for the images as well as Jet Black StazOn ink. 

Of course, I decorated the inside too.

Vanilla (like the front) with a black mat and just pieces of the image in more Black ink.

A sentient would be nice too...maybe a poem?

Supplies:

Paper: Vanilla, Basic Black & Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Riding Hood Red & Old Olive

Stamps: Elements of Style & Tiny Tags

Other: Square Lattice Texture Folder, Brad, Modern Label Punch, Curly Label Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch & Watercolor Pen

Well, off I go to do some chores :) 

Happy Stamping!

Feeling Green (Mojo 134)

I must be feeling the influence of green - leaves popping out, peas starting to shoot up in the garden and the grass turning green behind our house.  Perhaps that was the inspiration for this Mojo Monday (Moj134) card based on this sketch.

I rarely use just one color with a neutral but the Old Olive DSP with the emossing plate turned out quite well.

• Whisper White card base, layered with Old Olive card stock embossed with "Eyelet" texture plate (matches the DSP)
• The coordinating layers are Old Olive Designer Series Paper that matches perfectly
• Sentiment is from Well Scripted.  I used the matchbox die for the background and a coordinating Old Olive mat behind it.
• The sentiment was decorated with Tiny Tags in -you guessed it-Old Olive

The flower was made with Whisper White & Old Olive using the small heart punch and 5 petal punch along with a little sponging and Tombow glue to hold it together.

Supplies:

Paper: Whisper White, Old Olive, & Old Olive DSP

Ink: Old Olive

Stamps: Tiny Tags & Well Scripted

Other: 5 petal punch, small heart punch, Matchbox die, Eyelet Embossing Plate, Scallop Eyelet Border punch, ribbon & brad

All supplies SU! except ribbon & brad (from my stash - not sure who).

Thanks for stopping by - have a great day!

Vintage Bleu Birthday (MOJO133)

Wow!  That's a lot of layers!  There are 13 pieces of paper from the card base to the top sentiment.  I think this might need an extra stamp :-)

I started with the sketch for MOJO Monday (Mojo133) and rotated the card.

I started with a Kraft card base and then

• layered Not Quite Navy, Vanilla, and Bella Bleu DSP
• repeated this with the squares (changing the order)
• added the band punched with the eyelet scallop punch
• cut the ovals with the Cricut
• stamped Vintage Vogue vines in Not Quite Navy
• sponged the edges with Soft Suede for a lightly distressed look
• flowers were stamped, punched & layered with a bronze brad
• the butterfly was also lightly distressed with Soft Suede to help it stand out
• finally, dimensionals to adhere the oval
• I think I'll add a layer inside the card - vanilla with some vines and a little sponging to tie the two together

Tip: for a not so bold look on the vines & flowers, I inked the stamp, stamped a piece of scrap paper (very lightly) and then stamped the image on the oval.  This really softened the color.

Supplies:

Paper: Kraft, Vanilla, Not Quite Navy & Bella Bleu DSP

Ink: Not Quite Navy & Soft Suede

Stamps: Vintage Vogue & Vintage Labels

Other: Cricut, Embosslits "Beautiful Wings", Small Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, & Brad

Have a great day!

MOJO Inspired

This card started out as a MOJO Monday card, based on their sketch challenge (MOJO 123), but I ran out of time and realized today that I hadn't posted it...So...here it is.

I really liked the scallop circle as the base.

Tip: Cut out two scallop circles and score the back about an 1/2 to 1 inch from the top, glue the top pieces together and the card will stand up nicely.

 I used my Cricut and Accent Essentials for the center using Thoroughly Modern Designer Series Paper.

The flower is made of multiple Scallop Circle Punches cut, glued, and layered with a brad as the centerpiece.

Supplies:

Paper: Pretty in Pink, Thoroughly Modern DSP, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White and Bermuda Bay

Ink: Bermuda Bay

Stamps: Whimsical Words (2010 Sale-A-Bration)

Other: Small Heart Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Curly Label Punch & Flower Designer Brads