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!

returning to challenge adventures

If you've been following along, you know I'm really busy at work during the first quarter of the year, and by March/April I'm ready for vacation - we took three this year, one week and two long weekends!  I've kept up with Card Buffets and haven't had to skip one yet this year.  In order to have choices at the buffets (it wouldn't really be a buffet if there weren't choices) I've made lots of cards.  As always, I use challenges for inspiration, but - this is where something had to give - I haven't had time to write up any descriptions for blog posts.  I finished the taxes today, so now I can get back to playing and posting - yay!  Of course, I went to one of my favorite sites first, and found a color challenge at the Watercooler:

I had a request for wedding cards on the buffet, and personally I forget to have anniversary cards on hand, so this is what I came up with:

stamp set - Best Birds; ink - Calypso Coral, Pool Party; card stock - Whisper White, Island Indigo, Pool Party; Big Shot with Happy Hearts embossing folder and Birds & Blooms framelits

For some reason, most of the choices I prepared for Card Buffet this month are in the blue-green-yellow range.  When I noticed that, I was inspired to try the rainbow challenge from CAS-ual Fridays, using this fun idea from Rachael Tessman:

stamp set - Sunburst Sayings; ink - Basic Black, Perfect Plum, Tempting Turquoise, Cucumber Crush, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red; card stock - Whisper White thick and regular; Big Shot with Sunburst thinlit

I maaaaaay have had a little too much fun with the sponge-dauber dots :)

And finally, I took another shot at the wedding card idea, using the sketch from TGIF Challenge and this fun idea from Carol Payne:

stamp set - Flourishing Phrases; ink - Sweet Sugarplum, Rich Razzleberry; card stock - Sweet Sugarplum, Shimmer White; Fluttering embossing folder

Another case where I may have been having too much fun - when I pressed the Shimmer White card stock down on the inked Fluttering embossing folder, I intended to leave more white space around the edges to better correspond with the sketch.  It's pretty sweet this way, too, though.

anniversary adventures

I forgot to make and mail a card to our son & daughter-in-law for their anniversary tomorrow.  I did mail them a Thanksgiving card, though, so let's just say that anniversaries need to be celebrated for at least a week, now that birthdays are at least a month.  (right?  they are, aren't they?)  So, it was nice that Buffy suggested "anything goes...with weddings" at Watercooler Wednesday.  I was totally inspired by (and copied, really, with several changes) Steffi's winning card at SU-per Challenges.

stamp sets - Petite Petals, Memorable Moments (retired); Stampin' Around wheel - Music Notes (retired); ink - So Saffron, Smoky Slate, Coastal Cabana (retired); card stock - Very Vanilla, Coastal Cabana (retired); punch - Petite Petals; Big Shot with Hearts framelits (retired - I didn't remember that!)

This was my second attempt.  I made two serious mistakes on the first attempt.  I forgot to mask the sentiment before stamping the heart shape.  I recovered from that mistake (a/k/a embellishment opportunity) by adding a punched label.  The other mistake is irrecoverable - can you spot it?

stamp sets - Watercolor Wings, Memorable Moments (retired), Four Frames (retired); Stampin' Around wheel - Music Notes (retired); ink - Smoky Slate, Calypso Coral, Crisp Cantaloupe (retired), Coastal Cabana (retired); card stock - Whisper White, Coastal Cabana (retired); punch - Decorative Label; Big Shot with Bold Butterflies and Hearts framelits (retired)

Don't worry, my husband couldn't spot it, and he knows something you probably don't - Sona hates butterflies!  I can mail this card to someone else, though, so it will go into my file box, which previously had an empty section for anniversaries.

Monday challenges adventure

Some of my card buffet stampers requested wedding cards this spring - I designed a formal one earlier and was trying for something more contemporary so they would have a choice.  I used Crisp Cantaloupe because it's one of my favorite colors from the 2014-2015 In Colors that retire at the end of this month - it's also the monochromatic challenge color at Colour Me!  I wanted to focus on the {heart} shape for the CASology challenge and I think the sketch from Try Stampin' - or Not -on Tuesday worked well:

stamp set - Yippee-Skippee; ink - Crisp Cantaloupe; card stock - Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White; punch - Itty Bitty Accents; Big Shot with Hearts framelits and Happy Heart embossing folder; Stampin' sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals

All three of these challenges close tomorrow; if you want to join in, you'll need to hurry.  If you just want some wonderful inspiration you can check out all the amazing entries any time!

last-minute adventures

Two weeks ago, when the challenge at the Watercooler was announced - a silhouette on a watercolor background - I thought that would be pretty easy, so I didn't do it.  Wait - what?  Well, I put off doing it because it was easy, you know?  Oops - the challenge closes tomorrow morning!

stamp sets - Serene Silhouettes, Mosaic Madness, Teeny Tiny Wishes; ink - Daffodil Delight, Tangelo Twist, Strawberry Slush, Memento Tuxedo Black; card stock - Watercolor, Basic Black, Daffodil Delight; Aquapainter (whoa - no punches, Big Shot or accessories! what is up with me?) 

I chose this particular silhouette for the birds, and the challenge at The Male Room.  Since birds, branch, black, and birthday all start with B, I may as well join the "B"lieve It! challenge at Little Red Wagon.  Speaking of birthdays, the toppings option at Seize the Birthday is make your own background.  Although I flipped it sideways, the sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

It's not the last minute at the other challenges - you should join in, too!

It is the last minute at Addicted to CAS where the code word is black, white & gold, but it doesn't close until tomorrow evening, so you can join in there, if you hurry.  Some of my card buffet stampers requested wedding cards this spring, I hope they like this one:

stamp set - This Day Forward (retired); ink - Encore Gold; card stock - Shimmer White, Brushed Gold, Whisper White; designer series paper - Back to Black; washi tape - Watercolor Wonder; punch - Sweetheart 

I think it would work as an anniversary card, too, with another sentiment.  If the layout looks familiar, it should - it's from Sketch Frenzy Friday - I mentioned yesterday that you might see it again soon.

more adventures with new stuff

I saw a new challenge recently - not for card-making, but about not buying anything new besides food and petrol (gasoline).  It didn't seem like a bad idea until I realized that would mean no new stamping supplies, and with the wonderful Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogs both current now, that will NOT work for me.  Maybe I'll get back to celebrating Discardia; that's much more reasonable.

Meanwhile, I made this with a new stamp set from the Occasions catalog, and I CASEd the sample card because there are so many wonderful samples everywhere that I couldn't decide where to start.  Plus, I wanted to play along at the Watercooler Challenge!

stamp set - Sheltering Tree; ink - Early Espresso, Versamark; Stampin' Emboss powder - Iridescent Ice; card stock - Whisper White, Soft Sky; Big Shot with Hearts a Flutter framelits; Basic Jewels - rhinestone; silver 1/8" ribbon

If you compare mine to the original on page 22 you'll notice I did a couple of things differently. I stamped the sentiment a little too high on the little banner and I thought about trimming it, but then realized that if I added a rhinestone to balance it, I would have used two different embellishments and could play along at the Friday Mashup!

My upline's Star Struck Stampers team met yesterday, and Deb brought this awesomely beautiful card for us to make as her shoebox swap.  It is also a CASE from the Occasions catalog:

stamp sets - Something Lacy, For the New Two; ink - Versamark; Stampin' Emboss powder - Silver, Gold; card stock - Whisper White, Vellum; punch - Scalloped Tag Top; Basic Jewels - pearls; 5/8" organza ribbon

Deb did a couple of things differently than the catalog version, also.  I personally think switching from white embossing to silver was a stroke of genius!

Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention that I was chosen as one of Santa's helpers at CASE-ing Christmas for my Santa hat-wearing Kind Koala and, I was named Top Nacho for my By the Tide card (second in post).  I'm super pleased to say that the loved one for whom that card was created is home & healthy this week! Big thanks to both teams, now I have even less incentive to think about not buying new stamping supplies! ;)

adventure in rethinking

I have a couple of issues causing me to rethink whether this card qualifies for these challenges.  The colors are not quite the same as the ones I saw at Less is More - I changed the gray to brown and added orange.  And this is not a style I would associate with a wedding, the theme at Catherine & Cathy Create.  I may need to rethink that, though.  First, because these are the colors we used at our own August wedding 32 years ago.  Then, although I think of falling leaves as more a late-life than an early-life celebration, there's not really any validity to that, is there?  It's more of a cliche than a reality.  As you can see from the invitation insert that's hanging in the background, the young couple whose celebration takes place later this month don't think of falling leaves as indicative of something that's coming to an end:

stamp sets - Gently Falling, Loving Thoughts; ink - Crushed Curry, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip; card stock - Naturals White

 So, who am I to judge?  I hope their day is as lovely as ours and their marriage is even better!  And that's saying a lot :)!

 

adventures in crafting

hmm it seems that i could be doing better than posting once or twice a week...

One problem this time of year is it's not only hard to leave home, but it's increasingly difficult to be anywhere other than the back deck.  I do occasionally swap for the front deck, but the back one has a dining table (handy for meals, books, a laptop computer) and a view of the bird feeders:

I did leave home last weekend, to spend time at Strawberry Fest downtown - no pictures, but I bought the cutest hot air balloon crocheted over a Christmas bulb.  Afterwards there was a meeting of my friends' family craft club, where we were working on yard art created from bicycle wheels, an idea AJ found last year in a magazine - Better Homes & Gardens, maybe?

The consensus was that we needed smaller, colored glass dessert-size dishes, which we hadn't had much luck collecting from thrift stores and yard sales.  More shopping will be needed!  Well, maybe not "shopping" as much as "junking"...

Craft club is as much about food as any other craft.  One winter day we taught ourselves cake decorating, although none of us will be on Cake Boss any day soon.  Carol's contribution last week came from another magazine, Woman's Day, this time, or it may have been Family Circle.  I went searching and couldn't find it, but it's the current cover on the newsstands now:

Carol retired from a position with the school system recently, and although she sells real estate, it's a possibility she has a little too much free time on her hands.  Of course, I think she needs to get started in paper crafting.  Then she could make things like this card I designed for the Less is More Monogram theme:

Unfortunately, I am once again too late to post for the challenge.  I originally planned to stamp the monogram, but the only alphabet set I own seemed small for a focal point.  Then I remembered having a Sizzlit die set called Broadway Melody, which I had to have because the letters are created with a music-note motif, and it was on sale (it may have been retiring).  So, in spite of the border punch background being so new that it's not even available until July 1, I believe this card does qualify at Shopping Our Stash for THIS week's challenge to "use some of those tools we *had* to have but don't use often".  As does this card, since I never seem to think about the crimper unless someone else reminds me:

In this case, Nisha reminded me, when she taught this card at her stamp-a-stack event Thursday evening.  Please excuse (or ignore) the little schmear on the the sentiment - she did not teach it that way.  ;)  It's so totally ADORABLE! - I probably will have to use it at my 10-for-$10 stamp-a-stack, too.  Which is next week, so maybe I should design four more cards to go with it...

Or three more, as I'm pretty sure we'll be doing this card, because it demonstrates a technique I learned at Less is More to emboss a background that is wider than the embossing folder:

Well, I guess I better get to "work" (heh heh)