A couple of challenges

Today I'm off work, so I decided to play along with the Color Inspiration Challenge over on Kristina Werner's blog. You can see her post here:
http://www.kwernerdesign.com/blog/index.html

The challenge colors were Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla. I needed to make a sympathy card for my class this weekend, so I figured this was the perfect excuse. I also pulled out my Always set by SU, it needed some use. :) The Papertrey sentiment (which can be found here http://www.papertreyink.com/stamps_mixedmessages.html) was the perfect addition to the center panel.

Oh, I almost forgot! The sketch for this card is from SCS Sketch Challenge #173 and can be found here http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=92633&d=1208920850

Whenever I feel like I'm in a creative rut, a card sketch is just the thing to get me going.

For this 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card, I started out with a Close to Cocoa base and sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa ink. I used a piece of Afternoon Tea paper, layered with Chocolate Chip cardstock for the background. The main panel is Very Vanilla, layered on Chocolate Chip. I sponged the edges with Soft Sky ink. The heart was stamped in Chocolate Chip ink on Soft Sky cardstock, cut out, and mounted on dimensionals. The oblong panel is Very Vanilla, stamped with more stamps from the Always set.

I spent the morning at home because we had to have a plumber come over -- one of our sewer pipes in the basement had a hole in it! Eeeks! Can't wait to see the bill for that one.... :) At least now we can use the downstairs bathroom and I can use my dishwasher!

This is a Mother's Day card we'll be making at my card class next week. I have had this SU set - Essence of Love - for a while and this weekend is my first time using it! :) I like it because it's a large enough image to fill space on a card front.

The base of this card is Chocolate Chip, layered with Certainly Celery and a piece of DP from Papertrey Ink. The main image is stamped on Whisper White in Berry Sorbet ink from Papertrey also. I used Dazzling Diamonds glitter to accent the image. The main panel is layered on piece of Berry Sorbet, then Chocolate Chip. I accented the corners with the tag corner punch and silver brads (non-SU).

The sentiment is by Gina K, and the butterfly punch is by Martha Stewart, found at Michael's (yay!!!).

Thanks for looking!

This card is one that we'll be making at my class next Sunday. I wanted to keep the colors neutral, so it could be used for male or female, and also so it could be used for any school colors. Of course, you could switch the colors up to match any school you choose! :)

The base of this card is River Rock, layered with Basic Black and retired DP from Stampin' Up. The main panel is stamped in Basic Black craft ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I used the ticket corner punch on the corners and embellished with vintage brads, then layered on River Rock and Basic Black.

The stamp on the right is what I used for the inside sentiment. This is a Stampabilities stamp from Hobby Lobby. The ribbon is Old Olive poly-twill from the Spring Mini, and Kraft taffeta. Thanks for looking!

Happy Bridal Shower!

Yesterday my friend Cassandra had her bridal shower; it was a good time! I made some chicken salad and ham salad to take over, but I still had tons left over. Guess I know what I'm taking for lunch this week to work. :) She got a lot of neat kitchen gifts, too. The book above is something I put together for her using my new Bind-it-All. I used plain chipboard for the front and back cover, and some Papertrey DP to cover it.

The stamp used on the front is from the set Big on Spring, available in SU's spring mini catalog. Various ribbons are used to embellish the spine. I created three sections in the book, one to write shower gifts in, a section for guests to sign, and a section for pictures. This little book was a big hit!

And then there's the cake. It was the joke of the day that they spelled her name (Cassandra) wrong! They also wrote 'Congratulation' singular......LOL! Someone screwed this one up! Oh well -- I told her it makes for a funny scrapbook page! ":)

Stay tuned on Monday and Tuesday for previews of my card class next week -- a graduation and Mother's day card!

I teach a monthly layout class at my LSS, and this is the page we did this month. The focus on the class was learning how to cover chipboard. I also used some of the new Bo-Bunny paper, along with some EK success flower punches and the Cricut to cut the swirls and letters. I used buttons on the flower centers.

Thanks for looking!

My friend Nikki got married last weekend - here's the wedding card I made for her. Obviously her colors were silver and blue. :) I need to get some of those pictures posted up here -- it was a beautiful wedding. I'm also working on making her a wedding scrapbook as well, so I think that will be this weekend's project.

The base of this card is Soft Sky, layered with silver cardstock from Michaels, then Basic Black and Making Memories Soft Blue glittery DP. I picked up the cake at Michaels, it's Martha Stewart Brand. I also used the Tag Corner punch, silver brads, Offray silver ribbon from M's, and the Hugs and Wishes stamp set. The card is actually a whole sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock folded in half, so it's a large one!

I'm off to deliver orders today, then go to Bed Bath and Beyond to grab a shower gift for my friend tomorrow. I also need to go to Michael's and see if I can find that elusive Martha Stewart butterfly punch. Dangit -- I need it!

What? A Scrapbook Page?

Do you ever feel like your scrapbooking has gone by the wayside as you've started to make more and more cards? I do all the time, and I feel bad, because I started out scrapbooking, and still love to do it! It seems the only time I get any done is when I go to a crop.

This particular page is one I worked on at at crop that my LSS had last month. I caught this photo of my cousin Korey and his black lab last Christmas, and I thought it was too sweet not to scrap. The shaped cardstock is from Making Memories, mounted on a piece of the new Bo-Bunny line. Letter stickers are Thickers by American Crafts. The chipboard star is by Scenic Route, covered with some more Bo-Bunny patterned paper. I did add some journaling to this as well when the page was completed.

Have a great evening!

Birthday Card Class

Last weekend, I held a birthday card class. We made 5 different cards, and the cost of the class included the stamp set "Eat Cake". It was a huge hit! These are three of the cards we made. This card uses Wild Wasabi cardstock for a base, along with Tempting Turquoise and Real Red. The patterned paper is from the East Coast Prep pack. Ribbon is double-stitched Wild Wasabi. I used More Mustard cardstock and the large star punch, then sponged the edges with More Mustard ink. The star is mounted on a dimensional.
This card uses the new Summer Picnic designer paper, along with Bashful Blue, Real Red and Pumpkin Pie. I also used the Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. The sentiment is punched out with the 1" circle punch and mounted on a 1 1/4" punched circle.
This is the Bali Breeze designer paper, and I love this color combination! Taken with Teal, Rose Red, and Pumpkin Pie. I also used the sentiment from Hugs and Wishes on this card. I made two punches, one right next to the other, with the Slot Punch, and then tied my Purely Pomegranate and Pumpkin Pie ribbon around that.

I just returned from a weekend out of town wedding that I was in -- my friend Nikki got married! It was beautiful and we had a blast hanging out. I forgot to bring my camera, though! So once I got there, I had to stop at K-Mart and get some Kodak disposable cameras....do you know how long it's been since I have taken photos with regular film? Haha -- hope they turned out okay! I think when I get them developed I'll have them put on a CD so I can share them with my friends. :)

Tonight is also my first layout class at Endless Ideas - www.endlessideasmuscatine.com - and the technique is covering chipboard. We'll be using the Scenic Route chipboard packs and also the new Bo-Bunny paper to make a 2 page layout. I'll get a picture of my LO tonight and share it on here as well.

I'm off to the grocery store. The fridge is looking mighty bare after my weekend away. Have a good one!

I'm still alive..... :)

Well, I'm still alive! Tired, but alive. :) This week pretty much sucked at work, plus I had to work 52 hours....which doesn't leave much time for stamping! I thought I'd share a mini album that I made a couple weeks ago at a crop I attended for my LSS.

This blackboard album is by Cosmo Cricket, and I love that you don't have to cover the whole surface with paper and it still looks professional. The playing cards are from a spare deck that I have and the letter stickers are American Crafts.

This album has some of my favorite pictures from our trip to Vegas in 2006.

I used Real Red cardstock for every page, then matted my pictures and embellished with some Heidi Swapp chipboard hearts.

Also, I finally have Photoshop! I am still playing around with it and don't even know what I'm doing for the most part, but I am loving the effects and frames I can add to my photos. If anyone has a good online source for tutorials, please share with me. :)

I taught a birthday card class at my LSS today, so I will get some pictures taken of the cards and try to post tonight or tomorrow. Have a good weekend!