adventure with new FREE stuff

The everlasting Lovely as a Tree stamp set was one of my early Stampin' Up!® purchases, which I'm sure you've heard before, here and elsewhere.  The newly released Rooted in Nature set was the first thing on my wishlist from the 2018-2019 catalog.  Lucky me, it was one of the table giveaways at OnStage and still available when it was my turn to choose!  I've used it to make many cards already; this is the latest, for which I referenced yesterday's Sketch Saturday offering:

stamp set - Rooted in Nature; ink - Crumb Cake, Sahara Sand, Versamark; card stock - Sahara Sand, Whisper White

I'm as surprised as you are that the Big Shot didn't appear in my tools list! There is a coordinating set of thinlits (and of course they were on my first order), but the cross-section piece is easy enough to hand cut, and the set is big enough (12!) as it is.

I also received the Animal Outing set at OnStage, as all attendees did.  It wouldn't have made it to my wishlist, so I had to work a bit harder to put it to use.  For this one I used the Freshly Made Sketches challenge:

stamp set - Animal Outing; ink - Memento Tuxedo Black Soft Suede; Stampin' Blends - Crumb Cake light & dark, Smoky Slate dark, Old Olive light, Bronze; Stampin' Write marker - Soft Suede; card stock - Crumb Cake, Granny Apple Green, Whisper White; Big Shot with Layering Circles framelits

an all-day adventure

I started out thinking I would make a quick card with a NeverBeforeUsedStamp set (it has been out on the counter for a couple of months), the CAS Colours & Sketches sketch, and the just-posted-today Color Throwdown challenge.  I completely mis-stamped the background image on the white card base, and while I was trying to decide whether to add a slightly smaller layer of white, I smudged ink at the very edge.  Since that meant the layer was going to have to be full-card size, white didn't seem like the right choice.  I badly mis-stamped the background image twice more, so one of the gray layers ended up in the recycle bin.  When the edge of the stamp made an appearance on the fourth try, it became a design element.  The tag element that I prepared first was too large, and not really lavender.  I found a better choice for the tag image and a better choice for lavender, and eventually I found a sentiment I thought would work, so I finally got this:

stamp sets - Rose Wonder, Background Bits (hostess); ink - Smoky Slate; Stampin' Write markers - Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz; card stock - Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder, Smoky Slate; Big Shot with Lots of Labels framelits

At that point (after a lunch break), I wanted to use the tag I'd stamped earlier, so I made a green mat for it and went searching for a sketch or something to use it with.  I remembered that the main color was included in the Fab Friday challenge that closes tomorrow, but since green was not one of the colors, I made a new mat.  I didn't find a new sketch, and was running low on both patience and time, so the layout probably looks familiar:

stamp sets - Tranquil Tulips (hostess), You're Inspiring; ink - Sweet Sugarplum, Pear Pizzazz, Powder Pink (on envelope only); card stock - Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Powder Pink; Big Shot with Lots of Labels framelits

If you've been keeping score, you know that there is still a green tag/mat loose on my desk.  It is probably going to be relegated to the big box o' bits n' bobs, because I've pretty much had enough of this adventure today; there are new ideas chasing each other around inside my head, and I haven't yet checked off my daily to-do list, so it isn't going to be a priority.

stealth follower adventures

Recently, I realized that I'm a "stealth" follower - I follow a lot of blogs, both personal and challenge, by loading them into my feed reader - The Old Reader if you're looking for one that's easy to use and has all the good stuff without the bad!  But, I don't usually click "Follow" on the blog itself, unless someone reminds me to, so they don't always know I'm part of the fan base. 

One of the blogs I follow that way belongs to Deb Smart, who creates some of my favorite "must-CASE" cards (CASE meaning "Copy And Share Everything"), including this one and this one.  (I didn't realize until today that they're related.)  I've had the second one open on a tab in my browser for weeks to remind me that I need more sympathy cards (unfortunately).  I didn't get to it sooner because I don't have the paper or ribbon Deb used.  I wanted to use the only ribbon I own which is in the current catalog, but I don't have any floral paper using Tranquil Tide.  I eventually figured out that I should stamp my own floral design, but the appropriate stamp set evaded me until the current What Will You Stamp challenge was posted, So, finally, I have this, which I think works well for Charlotte's feminine anything goes challenge at Watercooler Wednesday, as well:

stamp sets - Beautiful Bouquet, Painted Harvest, Thoughts & Prayers; ink - Pear Pizzazz, Soft Sky, Tranquil Tide; Stampin' Write marker - Tranquil Tide; card stock - Soft Sky, Tranquil Tide, Whisper White; punch - Decorative Ribbon Border; Big Shot and Stitched Shapes framelits; Tranquil Tide 1/2" finely woven ribbon 

Another blog I've followed in "stealth" mode for a few years is Darnell's djkardkreations, and she's starting a new Twofer Challenge that I'm really looking forward to.  In anticipation of that (it starts January 10, 2018) I decided I should make a second card using the same stamp set - so here's my "twofer", for which I used the Freshly Made Sketches #318:

stamp set - Beautiful Bouquet; ink - Pear Pizzazz, Soft Sky, Tranquil Tide; Stampin' Write marker - Tranquil Tide; card stock - Soft Sky, Tranquil Tide, Whisper White; Tranquil Tide 1/2" finely woven ribbon

Darnell's main requirement will be two different cards for two different occasions using the same stamp set; other than the two additional stamp sets used in the first card, I think my "practice run" may be considered a success - at least, I love them.  Hope to see you and your cards at some challenge blogs this year!

watercooler tic-tac-toe adventure

The tic-tac-toe board at Watercooler Wednesday was a bit easier for me than my usual it's-too-hard-to-choose dilemma.  I love purple and haven't done a fun fold recently, so I added stripes (albeit very subtle stripes) and sympathy, for Just Add Ink:

stamp set: Thanks for Caring (retired); ink - Blackberry Bliss; card stock - Blackberry Bliss, Perfect Plum; Big Shot with Deco Labels framelits and Stylish Stripes embossing folder

I was starting to feel in a rut, though, with purple sympathy cards (yes, I'm mailing yet another tomorrow and running low again).  So, I revisited the whole thing, this time using some brighter colors and a happier theme:

stamp set - Wild about Flowers; ink - Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss; card stock - Hello Honey, Very Vanilla, Lost Lagoon; Big Shot with Stylish Stripes embossing folder and Ovals framelits

one adventure leads to another

After I posted yesterday's bright butterfly birthday card, I noticed that I had overlooked the butterfly prompt at Cards in Envy.  When I remembered that I still need sympathy cards, I used the same supplies, with neutrals from The Colour Tree:

stamp sets - Butterfly Basics, Wetlands; ink - Chocolate Chip, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake; card stock - Soft Suede, Tip Top Taupe, Very Vanilla; Wink of Stella - gold; Tea Lace paper doily; Big Shot with Hexagon Hive embossing folder, Butterfly and Bold Butterfly thinlits

While I had sympathy cards on my mind, I remembered thinking how well the Watercooler Wednesday reflection technique challenge and the House of Cards silhouette prompt would work together:

stamp sets - Teeny Tiny Wishes, World of Dreams; ink - Blackberry Bliss, Elegant Eggplant; card stock - Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant; washi tape - Bohemian; Big Shot with Ovals collection framelits

Edited to add: I forgot to link the stunnin Fine Art America photo, which inspired my card.

straight Sunday adventure

"Straight" as in five in sequence, as I noticed that these challenges (which close on Sunday) seemed related:

stamps - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Wonderland; ink - Night of Navy, Versamark; Stampin' emboss powder - Silver; card stock - Night of Navy, Soft Sky, Silver Foil, Whisper White; designer series paper stack - Wonderland vellum; punch - Snow Flurry

Challenges are Vintage Stamping - Winter Trees (for which I remembered to *stamp* this time - sheesh); Cards in Envy - Let it Snow;  Tuesday Morning Sketches - Anything Goes (I used their sketch #39 although that wasn't required); Nacho Average (hanging up their challenge hats - oh, no!); and Stamp, Ink, Paper - Anything But Christmas!

adventure of the unintentional CASE

By now, I'm sure you know that I love to CASE (Copy And Share Everything) designs from the many talented card makers in blog land.  I especially enjoy the work of my fellow Stampin' Up!® demonstrators, most notably Watercooler members like Heidi, who does awesome work, and is now a design team member for Paper Craft Crew Challenges.  The current sketch especially got my attention because I had cut, but not used, a Smoky Slate doily while working on something else.  It wasn't quite right then, but I need a sympathy card for a coworker and I thought it would work for that.  I know that I browsed all the samples at PCC, but I only printed the sketch and set it beside my craft space while I worked out my design.  Since my doily is much larger than the one in the sketch, the other elements needed to be adjusted - I swapped out the bow for a (much larger) butterfly and decreased the size of the sentiment panel to compensate.  I also left out the flowers so more of the doily would be visible.  When I finished and sat down to write this and find my links, I noticed that my card is so similar to Heidi's that it could have been an intentional CASE.  I didn't think I remembered any of the specific samples, but evidently this one hooked into my subconscious:

stamp sets - Loving Thoughts (retired), Perfect Papillon (on envelope); ink - Lost Lagoon; card stock - Smoky Slate, Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon; designer series paper - All is Calm (retired); Big Shot with Butterflies and Darling Doily thinlits and Labels Collection framelits; Pearls basic jewels 

unhappy adventures

Unhappily, I needed a sympathy card this week. Fortunately, Cards in Envy's Going Gray challenge is perfectly timed.  Since they've allowed for a tiny bit of color, I decided to use So Saffron for IN{K}SPIRE me challenge #181, and I used Sketch Frenzy Friday's 010915 design (well, mostly):

stamp sets - Serene Silhouettes, Teeny Tiny Wishes; ink - Basic Gray; card stock - Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, So Saffron, Whisper White; Big Shot with Arrows embossing folder, Bitty Banners and Hearts Collection framelits

Then, I needed a get well card for a loved one who was admitted to the hospital yesterday.  That one was much harder, for some reason, but I found inspiration in the colors of Curtain Call's Soft Scarf and the sketch at Nacho Average Challenge:

stamp sets - By the Tide, From the Herd; ink - Calypso Coral, Island Indigo, Soft Sky; card stock - Soft Sky, Very Vanilla 

I think Tom may have had his fill of medical issues recently, as he took my dog to the vet to have a mass removed last week and then took me to the ophthalmologist yesterday, before spending his evening at the hospital with Jason.  I may need a "you're awesome & appreciated" card for him; we're all certainly grateful that he's both retired and healthy so he can take care of the rest of us!