creature adventure

The current Jingle Belles prompt is a Creature Feature and SUO Challenge #56 assures us that Stampin' Up!® loves animals, so I started thinking about all the cute critters in the Snow Festival designer series paper. These sweet little owls seemed just perfect for Nicole's Festive Friday sketch:

stamp set - Easy Events; ink - Gumball Green; card stock - Gumball Green, Whisper White; designer series paper - Snow Festival; punch - 3/16" corner rounder; Dazzling Details - Cherry Cobler; Big Shot with Finishing Touches edgelit

Although as usual, the strip was not straight (even after I lined it up against my grid paper) and had to be removed and re-positioned, I am quite proud that no smearing of the Dazzling Details occurred!

dynamic duo adventure

I procrastinated all week on the Dynamic Duo challenge, but now that I've finally got a card to show, I love the combination (and really, I knew I would):

stamp sets - Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages; ink - Pool Party, Soft Suede; card stock - Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla; punch - Modern Label; 1/2" seam binding ribbon - Pool Party; Big Shot with Fancy Fan embossing folder and Holiday Ornaments framelits, Stampin' Dimensionals

I think what makes it seem difficult during the "planning" is that two colors doesn't seem like enough.  I don't think this card needs any more color, though.  Maybe some sponging, or a mat for the sentiment, but the colors are perfect.

a differently retired adventure

I took this card with me today to a nice little office open house, as a friend of ours retired. The products I used are all current :) (not retired) and the colors are from Fab Friday's challenge this week:

stamp sets - Creative Elements, Teeny Tiny Wishes; ink - Island Indigo, Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit; card stock - Island Indigo, Midnight Muse, Very Vanilla; clear Stampin' Emboss powder, pearl basic jewel, Stampin' Dimensionals, Big Shot with Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and Bitty Banners framelit

I CASEd (Copy And Share Everything) this card (which I found on Pinterest).  Because the challenge at Just Us Girls this week is emboss resist (and to keep the Summer Starfruit from over powering the flower and butterfly), I clear-embossed the foreground elements, and "stamped off" the background design on my grid paper before stamping it on the focal piece.

{edited to add} The card above is the one I intended to link at Just Us Girls, but my mouse-aiming seems to have been a bit skewed - sorry, ladies!

I needed one more design for the Stamp-a-Stack I'll be hosting Thursday & Saturday.  I wanted to feature our scented embossing powder on a card that could be used for an autumn occasion, or for Christmas if my guests prefer.  I decided on the steaming mug in the Scentsational Season set, which I've declared to be hot spiced cider, one of my favorite fall treats, for both the Shopping Our Stash and the Critter Sketch challenges.  I found some paper in the Festival of Prints stack that will work for any season and then I just needed a layout.  I browsed through the sketches I've pinned and decided on the newest one at Unscripted Sketches:

stamp sets - Loving Thoughts, Scentsational Season; ink - Early Espresso; card stock - Bashful Blue, Naturals White; designer series paper - Festival of Prints; punch - Modern Label; Big Shot with Holiday Collection framelits dies, Sugar & Spice scented embossing powder, Stampin' Dimensionals

Yummy!  

It just now occurred to me that I could have left off the sentiment to remind my guests that they can choose, but most of them are not to shy to ask when they have preference.

adventure with retired products

When I make cards for display at stamping events, I use current products.  Over the weekend I needed two cards for immediate use, and my retired designer series papers fit the requirements better.  Tom requested a card for a young man who likes dogs and cats, and I have one of each in my retired (and available for sale, if you're interested) stamp sets.  I needed something masculine, or at least not flowery, and thought autumn colors would be nice - this is what came together from what I found:

stamp sets - D is for Dog (retired), Sincere Salutations (retired); ink - Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Pie; card stock - So Saffron, Very Vanilla; designer series paper - Welcome Neighbor (retired); punches - 1-3/8" square, Itty Bitty Shapes; Big Shot with Tasteful Trim; Bitty Buttons, Stampin' Dimensionals

The sketch, from Deconstructing Jen, is another one that I think is incredibly versatile, so you might be seeing it again.  I do have some stamping events scheduled for this week...

I have a stepson whose birthday is on the 31st, and none of the cards in my supply seemed right.  That's why I made the card at the end of this post last week, but it wasn't right, either.  I browsed through my Pinterest boards and decided this one would be perfect, so here's my version:

stamp sets - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Up Up and Away; ink - Soft Suede; card stock - Not Quite Navy, Soft Suede, textured Very Vanilla (retired); designer series paper - Well Worn (retired); punches - 2-1/2" circle, Modern Label, Word Window; Antique Brad, hemp twine (retired), Stampin' Dimensionals, mini glue dots, stamping sponge

 

This one makes me smile :)  I've said before, I'm pretty partial to the Up, Up, and Away stamp set, but this time I think it's really the Well Worn paper and the sponging that really *make* this card.  While I was admiring the effect of the sponging, it occurred to me that sponging might improve this card:

stamp sets - Gently Falling, Trust God; ink - Pumpkin Pie, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, Soft Suede; card stock - Crumb Cake, Soft Suede; Big Shot with Autumn Accents die and premium crease pad

I made it a couple of weeks ago as a sample for a workshop card, but I wasn't satisfied with the results of the  baby wipe ink pad technique (the So Saffron was too pale), and there were just too many steps involved to work for a group, so I hung it up on the sample display and found something else for the workshop.  The more I looked at it, the less I liked it. Until I thought of sponging:

Oh, and I also realized it needed an additional layer, which I cut out of Pumpkin Pie using the Adorning Accents edgelit.  Much better!  I kind of wish I'd embossed that Pumpkin Pie layer, but I hate to take the same card apart twice...

adventure with a versatile sketch

Fab Friday had the best sketch last week - I knew right away it would be really versatile - but for some reason, I didn't get around to putting it to work until last night, and then I missed the link-up deadline.  But, really, isn't it great:

I used it for a whole batch of cards.  This one came together in a jiffy when I saw the top line of the tic-tac-toe challenge at Shopping Our Stash, since gingerbread boys just *have* to be embossed on Kraft and have brad buttons:

stamp sets - Scentsational Season, More Merry Messages; ink - Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip; Stampin' Write marker - Cherry Cobbler; card stock -Crumb Cake, Naturals Ivory, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, designer series paper - Festival of Prints; punches - 1-1/4" square, Modern Label; Big Shot with Labels and Holiday Collection framelits, 3/16" Brights Brads, Sugar & Spice scented Stampin' Emboss powder, Stampin' Dimensionals   

 

Having been inspired by the current Less is More colour challenge of a touch of silver somewhere, this one didn't take much more than a jiffy:

stamp set - Delightful Dozen; ink - Versamark; Silver Stampin' Emboss powder; card stock - Brushed Silver, Midnight Muse; Big Shot with Labels Collection framelits, 5/8" Whisper White organza ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

This next one took quite a bit more time, but only because the Jingle Belles challenge this week is pink.  It's in honor of a great cause, Breast Cancer Awareness, but pink is just difficult for me.  While I was pondering it and working on insides and envelopes for the dozen or so cards I needed to file away, I noticed this cute little reindeer on the Snow Festival designer series paper I just opened:

stamp set - More Merry Messages; ink - Primrose Petals; card stock - Pink Pirouette, Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple; designer series paper - Snow Festival; punch - Decorative Label; 3/8" stitched satin ribbon - Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple; Big Shot with Hearts Collection framelits and Vintage Wallpaper textured impressions embossing folder; Stampin' Dimensionals

The Decorative Label punch is punched twice to get the unique shape under the sentiment.  I'm sure I saw it on Pinterest, but now I can't find the pin - maybe I just remembered it instead of pinning it?  That sort of misses the point, doesn't it?

 

For the last card, I was thinking that I really need a few more masculine birthday cards, but this one seems a little juvenile, so I'll just have to go back to the crafting table and get back to work:

stamp set - Bring On the Cake; ink - Pool Party, Riding Hood Red; card stock - Pool Party, Riding Hood Red, So Saffron, Very Vanilla; designer series paper - Storytime; punches - 1-1/4" square, 2-1/2" circle, Cupcake Builder; Stampin; Dimensionals, Stamping sponges

 

 

Fall-i-days Thanksgiving Hop adventure

Fall-i-days Thanksgiving Llama Blog Hop

I missed the Halloween llama Fall-i-days blog hop; I hope you didn't.  But here we are, hopping again - I'm so happy to be back and to have you here - thanks for stopping by.  You've probably hopped here from Stephanie's blog.  Stephanie made our header and the buttons for home, previous, and next blogs; aren't they gorgeous?  Of course, so are her projects!  If you haven't been to her blog yet, the Previous button will take you there, or you can continue clicking the Next buttons through the whole hop and you'll come around to Stephanie, or you can go to the Home blog and find a link to each blog on the hop.  So many choices!

Since I was in Wisconsin on vacation while everyone else was showing Halloween projects, I'll start with my favorite Halloween card this year, for which I can take almost no credit - I did the stamping and assembling, but the design was from Carol, a fellow demonstrator, who taught us this card at our Star Struck Stampers team meeting in August:

stamp sets - Frightening Feline, Mixed Medley (hostess); ink - Basic Black, Tangerine Tango; card stock - Basic Black, Very Vanilla; designer series paper - Howlstooth & Scaringbone; punches - 3/4" circle, 1-1/4" scallop circle; 1/2" Basic Black/Basic Gray striped satin ribbon, stamping sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals 

Isn't it just adorable?  I learn so much from other demonstrators, and we have such a good time when we get together.  Oh, and there's always snacks, too - bonus!  When we met in September, Jeanne made the most delicious pumpkin dip, and I shared this card (which I CASE*d from a card I saw on Pinterest):

 

stamp sets - Gently Falling, Trust God; ink - Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Soft Suede; card stock - Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Naturals Ivory; designer series paper - First Edition; punches - Extra Large Oval, Decorative Label; Crumb Cake 1/2" seam binding ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

 We also swap 3D items at our team meetings.  When I was a new demonstrator, I asked "What is a 3D item?" and the best definition I heard was, if it's not a card and not a scrapbook page, it's 3D.  So, I covered little composition books with the leaves left over from a Stamp-a-Stack project:

 stamp sets - Confetti, Fabulous Phrases, Pursuit of Happiness; ink - Always Artichoke, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede; card stock - Cajun Craze, Early Espresso Core'dinations, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla; Big Shot with Wood grain textured impressions folder and Autumn Accents die, Stampin' sanding system

The Autumn Accents die cuts five shapes, and we cut four colors of card stock but then made two cards using one of each shape, so there were lots of spare leaf shapes.  Here's the sample Stamp-a-Stack card with one of the composition books; I think they'll make a nice "thank you" gift set:

   For more great Thanksgiving Fall-i-day ideas, hop on to Linda's blog, Nutty 4 Stamping.