NEW Catalog My Friend (s) CS39A

Welcome to the Creative Sketches Design Team challenge!  This week, our challenge theme is “Anything Goes”… LOL, it’s your chance to do what YOU want and link back to the team site too!  You can use any stamps, paper or ink, how cool is that!

So… given that the new 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog release is just around the corner… or actually just a few hours away… I decided to use some of my new pre-order stamp sets and ‘goodies’ for today’s challenge!

What’s the first thing you notice on this card?  Isn’t the new Lace Border Punch FABULOUS?  After playing with the punch a bit, I’ve come up with a few great tips to share with my stamp class and club attendees… I know they’re all going to want this punch!

In the photo shown, I’ve layered two colors of lace border punch card stock, aligning as if they were a continuous line yet changing color… from Soft Suede to Crumb Cake, and back to Soft Suede again!

See how the the Lace Border Punch accents were attached to the card stock?  Usually I use tiny dots of Multi Purpose Adhesive… but this time I did something a bit different… cutting the border a bit longer than the first card stock layer, I simply wrapped the ends around to the back of the card stock.  Just glue it to the back.. too easy, right?

Gosh, I wish I could capture the sparkle in our Basic Pearl Rhinestones as well as I somehow managed to in this photo… it almost looks like a real diamond with so much luster, sparkle, and light!  Maybe it’s the Baja Breeze Itty Bitty Punch Pack Flower making it stand out and pop.. what do you think?

There were two NEW Idea Book and Catalog stamp sets used in today’s card share.. My Friend, and Delicate Doilies.  The Delicate Doilies image was stamped with Crumb Cake Classic Ink from Stampin’ Up! A scallop circle punch was used to punch out the image, and then snips were used to clip between the scallops… almost to the center.

Additional detail and character were added to two of the layers using a ticket corner punch… such a small detail, yet it can truly change the overall theme of your card!

Baja Breeze Seam Binding, layered with Victoria Lace… gives it so much more body and life!  Here the two layers are secured with a vanilla (neutral) button tied with two layers of Linen Thread.  Linen Thread  Linen thread is nice and thin… but you may still need to push it through the button holes with the help of the tip of your snips, tweezers, or paper piecing tool… each works quite well to accomplish the task.

Each week, the Creative-Sketches team presents you with a different type of challenge… sometimes it is a sketch, sometimes a sketch and color, and sometimes with a theme.  This week, the fifth week of the month, the theme is ‘Anything Goes’…. aka make a project, card, or scrapbook page using your favorite stamps, papers, inks, etcetera. 

Once you have made your project… simply upload it to an online gallery, blog, Splitcoastampers, or other paper crafting forum and then simply use the Mr. Linky tool on the Creative Sketches Design Team Blog to upload the URL of the image post to the Creative-Sketches  design team blog!

Tomorrow will be the first day you will may order from the new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog… but not until after noon Mountain Time!  I’ll post a catalog download on my Catalogs Tab as soon as it becomes available, so that you can view it online.  Place your orders in my online stampin up store, and get your exclusive new catalog products delivered directly to your door step… or you can contact me to place an order! 

Thanks to all my readers who have sent me private messages and/or comments and prayers for our son who is in the USAF… My DH and I really appreciate your kindness, prayers, and comments! 

Check back here at Created by You tomorrow, and I’ll share a new card just for the Sketch Frenzy Friday Design Team… hope you’ll also take a moment to leave a comment and say hello!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: lace border punch,new catalog,idea book and catalog,sneak peek,ticket corner punch,my friend,delicate doilies,scallop border punch,linen thread,layers,card,card stock,contact me,Sharon Field,Design Team,Createdbyu

Saying Goodbye, Sympathy Card DCBD234

Saying goodbye… never easy when it comes to people or pets… or stamps!  This week, in need of a special sympathy card, I immediately reached for the Thoughts and Prayers stamp set from Stampin’ Up!

Having to say goodbye… especially writing a sympathy card is such a heart wrenching experience.  Putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, you can feel the loneliness, solitude, and pain.

Design muse stalled, I stared at the elegant stamped tree image stamped with Basic Black Classic Ink… and then began searching for something else to make it more special.  Gosh, I wish I had thought of using this stamp set a year or two ago! 

 

WHO would have thought that the bird on a branch image in the Silhouette Sentiments almost perfectly matched that on the Thoughts and Prayers tree?  I stamped the lovely tree… and the simply added just one more branch with bird en tact!

LOVE the new lace border punch… and even if I have to say goodbye to some of my most used and favorite stamp sets, I have to say that I’m very excited about the new products available too!

Saying goodbye… I carefully sort through my stamp sets and make painful decisions about which stamp sets to retain, or sell.  After several years of being a demonstrator, I’ve come to realize the intrinsic value in having just the right phrase or sentiment… keeping most of the verbiage stamps on my shelves for use.

With Deepest Sympathy… a mini catalog item, is just one of those stamp sets.  Here, it is stamped in Basic Black Classic Ink, punched with a scallop oval punch, and then sponged with the same ink using a sponge dauber.  Additional bird silhouette images were added to the greeting with stampin’ dimensionals. 

There was a bit of confusion over today’s Diva Coffee Break Designs Team challenge…. My notes said Basic Black, So Saffron and Not Quite Navy.  The butterflies shown above are some of those colors.. but the words?  It’s a busy summer for us all…  LOL I should have used Wild Wasabi for the Lace Border punch detail… it would have looked like grass and at least I would have matched half of the challenge requirements!

See you tomorrow with a new Super Saturday Tutorial.  Speaking of Super Saturday, did you catch last week’s Silken Pearls Technique?  As I write this post, I have no clue what I’ll be doing tomorrow’s tutorial on… LOL but I’m sure I’ll come up with something!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: divas,challenge,silhouette sentiments,sympathy,lace border punch,sneak peek,new catalog,tutorial,super saturday tutorial,color challenge

UDI42 A Whopping Lot of Color!

This past week has been quite full of both ups and downs!  Early last week we received confirmation and start date for our darling Daughters’ new job (YEAH!!!  can you visualize me jumping up and down?)… and then on Sunday heard very sad news about a friend’s loss of her eldest son.  Makes you think a lot… about friends, family, my own uncommunicative son who is stationed somewhere far away with USAF Intelligence…

So… I spent Sunday making a sympathy card, and wishing I knew where our son was, and (of course) his state of mind.  Since we haven’t heard a peep from him since Mothers’ Day (which BTW was barely a peep, but it was enough to know he was ok).

Enough of my saga… today's card is prompted by another Utah Divas International Color Challenge.  I’ve been a follower of this group for quite a while, and the first time they asked me to join ranks I simply couldn’t do it and still have balance in my life!  When sweet Maxine Conrad approached me a second time… fortunately, it was also at the right time!

Our team leader Gretchen Barron comes up with some really crazy color combinations… and this one is right up there too!  I first thought of creating a brayer card  (yes, Patrice… I know I need to do another brayer tutorial and teach a class for the VC rocks group!!)  However… time was an issue, with back to back classes, swap due dates and LIFE… well… this is the card I made, hope you like it!

Instead of a brayer, I used a 3/8” paint brush to add re-inker color to glossy white card stock.  Markers were used to add body/antennae to the butterflies… and then embellishments were added before putting the card together.

The paint brushed grass was created with color challenge re-inkers  certainly celery and old olive…. using a simple flicking motion.  Flower brads were added along with regular brads to the card front.

Glossy card stock tends to bleed a bit when stamping or using markers.. but in this case, it worked to my advantage, LOL!  I like the way the smoosh’d butterfly has both lightness and darkness to the stamped silhouette image.

This week’s color challenge required us to use the colors Peach Parfait, Certainly Celery Old Olive, Whisper White, and Real Red in one card…. it works in the inspiration piece but, boy did I have a challenge on hand!  I will be interested in viewing the cards from other design team members… my notes said rose red… so I didn’t do it right… (oops!)   Guess I’m still shocked and surprised by the news I received today, wish I would hear from our son… Either way, this was a tough one!

Maybe you have a great way of combining these crazy colors into a scrapbook page, card or project?? Maybe you just want a crazy challenge??  We’d love to see what you come up with!  After creating your fabulous art, please visit the Utah Divas International Design Team Blog and upload the URL of your creation to share with us (and the world)… we love to see your creations too!

See you tomorrow with a new challenge from the Diva Coffee Break Designs Team…

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: challenge,color,reinker,card stock,url,utah divas,divas,color challenge,gretchen Barron,patrice herrerra,vc rocks,design team

CAS Cards for Seniors and July 4th!

July 4th is right around the corner… and so I had to make a card celebrating our nations’ independence day!  Just in time for my next Senior Stamping Group at Neptune Beach Senior Center this week… I think my stamping friends will enjoy both of these cards!

Happy Holiday… July 4th, it’s just around the corner.  I didn’t really have a stamp set with an appropriate greeting or image, so had to improvise a bit.

LOL… can you guess the stamp sets used on this card?

The greeting is from the On Your Birthday Stamp Set… I highlighted the happy with pacific point classic ink… and the number 4 with real red classic ink.  The “th” however, came from one of the happy birthday verses… highlighting only the th with real red, it was stamped first and then happy 4 was added afterwards.

The tiny stars are a retired small star punch from Stampin’ Up! I have a lot of retired punches, can’t really bear to let them go!

The large image from Wedding Sweet stamp set reminded me of fireworks, LOL… (just a little stretch of the imagination).  Some of the stamped image lines were traced with a two way glue pen and then sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds to make them pop and sparkle.  One of my senior stampers really loves Dazzling Diamonds and “bling”… I think she’ll enjoy this card!

The second card is not as quizzical… I think you’ll identify the stamped images right away, from a prior mini catalog… but I’m thrilled to say they are also part of the new Idea Book & Catalog 2011!  Love the Natures Walk stamp set, and will be using it often in the forthcoming year!

Using a 1-3/8” square punch, I made a mask to sponge the baja breeze background in the center of the focal image card stock… then the bird was stamped with Chocolate Chip Classic Ink.  After mounting on Marina Mist Card Stock, the focal image was “popped” onto the whisper white base using stampin’ dimensionals.

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!  See you tomorrow with a new card for the Utah Divas International Design Team challenge!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: wedding sweet,july 4th,independence day,holiday cards,cards,natures walk,cas,clean and simple,5 minute cards,quick and easy,mini catalog,idea book and catalog,2011

Faux Pearls Two Cards to Share

Did you enjoy yesterday’s Super Saturday Tutorial on Silken Pearls?  Before creating the Wedding Card from yesterday’s tutorial, I did play around a bit with the Faux Pearls Technique too (check out the faux mother of pearls technique by Amanda Coughlin at Stamp Vamps HERE). 

Since that technique seems to be all over the internet these days, I decided not to bore you with a tutorial that’s already been done…

This first card features the Faux Mother Of Pearls technique on Very Vanilla card stock, and then embossed using the big shot machine and Elegant Lines Textured Embossing Folder… LOL, it’s another wedding card with something blue too!

I have a good friend who says that a proper bow ALWAYS has two tails which have been properly notched… So I made sure to notch the tails of my finger tied double loop bow.

Of course, the Very Vanilla Faux Mother Of Pearls Card needed a proper greeting using the same technique, right?

The edges were lightly sponged with Marina Mist Classic Ink using a sponge dauber, and then the greeting was attached to the card with stampin’ dimensionals.

TIP: 

When attaching greetings with stampin’ dimensionals over a ribbon enhanced card:  attach the dimensionals at the top and bottom edges of the punched greeting… so that they make contact with the card stock AND ribbon as well.  Dimensionals often don’t stick well to ribbon and over time will become detached.

Taking Faux Mother of Pearl to another arena, I decided to add color with a stampin’ sponge.  Here’s one of the cards we made during last weeks technique class using the Sail Away single image stamp from the Summer Mini Catalog and a greeting from the Sincere Salutations…

LOL… the FIRST time I made this card, I sponged the Whisper White card stock with frost white shimmer paint using a piece of wadded up recycled plastic.  I carefully placed a post it note across what would become my horizon, inked up a stampin’ sponge with Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink and sponged in the water, and scrubbed across the horizon line to form a crisp clean edge.

Reversing the post it note, I then sponged in the Bashful Blue sky… and then stamped my Sail Away boat.  Guess what?  My sails were Bashful Blue too!  Not that a sail boat can’t have bashful blue sails… LOL, it just looked funny to this blue water sailor… I don’t ever recall seeing blue sails on any boats in Michigan’s Lake Huron!

So… I quickly re-made the card and on the second go-round, stamped the sailboat image before sponging in color for both sea and sky.  Smaller, non-sail areas were colored in with a q-tip or make up applicator (this tip from one of my fabulous customers, LOL!)

Gosh, there’s only a few more days before the New Idea Book & Catalog Release on July 1st!  I’ve got to get busy making more cards and prepping for my new catalog release party!  Then I hope to update my July calendar with new classes and events… be sure to check them out later this week!

Thank you for all your sweet comments!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: Faux Mother of Pearls,Splitcoaststampers,tutorial,tips,techniques,shimmer paint,SUO,Idea book and catalog,Summer Mini catalog,wedding card,sail away,greeting card,masculine card,Amanda Coughlin

Super Saturday Tutorial Silken Pearls

Today’s Super Saturday Tutorial is actually a combination of two techniques… Faux Silk, and Faux Mother of Pearl.  Although I debated calling it Silk Dress, LOL because that’s what it truly resembles in person!

The Faux Silk Technique is accomplished by stamping on ordinary tissue paper, crumpling, and then attaching the stamped tissue to card stock.  You can see an example of this technique HERE.

The Faux Mother of Pearl Technique involves wadding up a piece of plastic wrap (or simply recycle the plastic from Designer Series Paper packaging as I did)… then wetting the crumpled plastic with Frost White Shimmer Paint to create a mottled yet shiny effect.  Additional color may be added to the shimmery surface with a Stampin’ Sponge and Classic Ink, or Sponge Dauber.  If you want a little more detail, Amanda Coughlin wrote a nice little tutorial back in October 2010 which you can view HERE at Stamp Vamps.

I thought it would be interesting to marry the two techniques into what I call Silken Pearls… and WOW!  I love the results, hope you do too!  LOL… appropriately, in celebration of the Silken Pearls Technique marriage, today’s card share is a wedding card… get it?

One of those really difficult to capture images, this card glistens with texture and shimmer in person!

Have you ever shirred a ribbon?  Basically, you pull a little vertical thread from the end of the ribbon and then find one of the center horizontal threads to gather up the ribbon.  You need to work slowly and manipulate the ribbon as the gathers are formed to ensure that the chosen thread doesn’t break.  Here, I’ve shirred about 3x the length needed in 5/8” Organza Ribbon.

The tiny Basic Pearl Jewels were added as an afterthought, but it really does complete the card and give it an overall wedding dress theme, doesn’t it?

A little Faux Pearls application to a scrap of Very Vanilla Card Stock gave me a somewhat matching yet stamp-able surface for the Happiness Always greeting from the Happy Greetings Stamp Set.  Notice the slight variation in ink intensity as it engages with the shimmer paint?  If you didn’t want that look, it would be resolved by stamping instead with Versamark ink and embossing with color embossing powder.

So… if you’re interested in seeing how the Silken Pearls technique was executed, here’s today’s Super Saturday Tutorial and another variation as well!

Supplies:

• Very Vanilla Card Stock cut slightly larger than what you hope to end up with (mine was 4” x 5-1/4” and my final piece was 3-7/8” x 5-1/8”)
• White Frost Shimmer Paint
• Recycled plastic packaging or plastic wrap
• Ordinary Tissue Paper cut 1” to 1-1/2” larger than desired finished piece (mine was 5” x 6” to start)
• Multipurpose Adhesive
• Grid Paper or something to protect your stamping surface

 

Super Saturday: Silken Pearls Tutorial

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Cover stamping surface with grid paper or a protective and absorbent layer. 
2. Lay cut tissue paper on protected surface.
3. Shake Frost White Shimmer Paint well… don’t worry about getting bubbles in the paint, they will actually work to your advantage!  Remove lid and place where it won’t be knocked over.
4. Wad plastic wrap into a ball… check to make sure the base is not flat but full of texture.  I found it easier to gather my plastic wrap first in the center, and then pick up the four corners, adding them to my pinch of plastic.
5. While continuing to pinch the wadded plastic wrap, place it tightly against the mouth of the Frost Shimmer Paint Bottle, and quickly invert the bottle.  (You could also pick it up from the lid of the bottle, or from a palette or paper plate.)
6. Using an up and down ‘pouncing’ motion, apply the frost white shimmer paint to the tissue.  Move around a LOT… try not to keep pouncing in the same place.  When you run out of paint, simply pick some more up from your first pounces by dabbing it with the plastic wrap.
7. Check to see that your tissue is adequately covered with Frost White Shimmer Paint.  You want to see bare areas of tissue paper, and pounced areas as well.  If you have pounced too much in one place, it will have more of a big ‘blob’ appearance.
8. The frost white shimmer paint will dry quite rapidly… you can speed it up by waving the pounced tissue in the air, blowing on it, or using a heat tool (carefully) to dry.
9. Once dry, wad it up into a tight ball.
10. Open it up, and wad it up into a tight ball again… repeat until adequately wrinkled in appearance.  Here’s a photo of what my tissue looked like…
11. Flatten out the tissue so that it is just slightly larger than Very Vanilla Card Stock piece, set aside with the shiny crinkled side facing up.
12. Apply a thin layer of Multipurpose Adhesive to the piece of Very Vanilla Card Stock, covering the entire surface.
13. Pick up pounced tissue paper and place on top of Multipurpose Adhesive covered card stock.
14. Gently pat down to ensure that it is attached.  Your piece should have lots of texture from wrinkles patted into place.  Ideally, you should have the tissue reach all the edges of the card stock… but if it doesn’t no big deal… that’s why we cut it slightly larger to begin with.
15. If you’re not completely happy with the resultant shimmer, you can add more using the same procedure as in steps three through six.
16. Once dry, trim off excess tissue and square up the piece so that you can use it on your card front.

So… my next thought was what if… I added the piece to colored card stock, hmm…

LOL… you already saw a sneak peek of what it would look like in step 14 above!  Wouldn’t this be a fabulous background for a mermaid or fish?

Hope you enjoyed today’s Super Saturday Silken Pearls Tutorial!  I’m sticking with this theme tomorrow as I bring you a couple new Faux Pearls Cards.  Hope you’ll stop back by to say hi!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: Super Saturday,Tutorial,Wedding,Faux Pearls,Faux Silk,Faux,Technique,wedding dress,organza,wedding card,shirred ribbon,Sharon Field,Created By You,Happy Greetings,SUO,Stampin Up,Shop Online,stampin up store

Faith In Nature SFF0624 Sneak Peek

It’s time for another round of Sketch Frenzy Friday, the Design Team that runs a blog hop each and every week!  Today’s sketch was designed by team member Kim Innis.  Be sure to to let her know you loved her sketch!

Today’s sketch features a new 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog Hostess Set Sneak Peek.  Quickly becoming one of my favorites, the Faith in Nature stamp set features three images, and two sets of words.  Each of the images also have French Script incorporated into the image, so easy to work with… for clean and simple (CAS) designs or multi layered designs as well.

The words and images on today’s card are all from the same stamp set (Faith in Nature).  The images were sponged with color using a dauber, a nice effect and also easy to do!

Two colors were sponged on the pear, so saffron and pear pizzazz.. which was also used on all the leaves.  The naturals ivory card stock is in stark contrast to early espresso card stock… and keeping with that theme, linen thread was tied along the bottom of the card, just above the greeting.

LOL.. but then I had to add just a sparkle for the season… just a little bling… did you notice the glitter brad in the upper corner…my token to colorful autumn leaves covered in morning dew.  It’s kind of a stark contrast with the rest of the card, but somehow it all fits!

Here’s today’s design team sketch… and the next stop along the Sketch Frenzy Friday Design Team tour is the delightful blog of Tammy Baldwin!  Be sure to stop by and say hi!

Have you received your new 2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog yet?  Contact me to find out how to get your new catalog delivered to your door.  New catalogs are always free for club members and hostesses… I’m ready to share the fun of stamping with you and your friends, reserve your date today!

See you tomorrow with a new Super Saturday Tutorial… not sure what I’ll feature, LOL… but I’m sure something will pop into my head soon!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: kim innis,tammy baldwin,sketch frenzy friday,challenge,sketch,design team,hostess set,idea book and catalog,new catalog,online shopping,order online,sponging,blog tour,blog hop

CS38H Greeting Card Kids Halloween Card

CS38H… It’s a card and sketch for the holidays!  Inspired by cute childish images found in the Greeting Card Kids stamp set, today’s card is in celebration of Halloween.  Halloween is not a holiday I make a lot of cards for… but I do have a long time friend who goes all out, and loves to see Halloween cards, stamp sets and ideas.

Other images in the Greeting Card Kids stamp set feature a darling little girl holding a heart, a boy and girl walking to school, and a wintery scene with a little girl pulling a small Christmas tree in a sled.  Pretty adaptable to many situations… Valentines’ Day, Teacher Appreciation, Back to School, Love You, Christmas and Halloween/Fall all in one set!

Combined with the Watercolor With Markers technique from one of my past Super Saturday Tutorials, I think this card turned out kind of cute… hope you like it!

The Pumpkin Pie card stock background was stamped twice using Tangerine Tango Classic Ink… Once, using the large flourish background stamp “French Filigree”, and then a second time with the wonderfully worn background stamp.  Reminds me of leaves blowing in a fall breeze!

Texture was added using the Big Shot machine and square lattice Textured Embossing Folder (I just call them TEF’s), and both greeting and the Greeting Card Kids images were stamped with Soft Suede Classic Ink onto Very Vanilla Card Stock.

I wanted the focal image to pop out… so punched two Pear Pizzazz 2-3/8” circles which were trimmed and snipped a bit to make them fit and nest around the 2-2/2” circle punched focal image.

While adding a bashful blue classic ink shadow around the focal image, my aqua painter leaked a bit… don’t you hate when that happens?  The ink ran just a bit… so I let it dry, and then used a newer aqua painter and Very Vanilla Watercolor Crayon to patch the image.   It took three applications, but I was able to cover up the yucky part...  If you use your watercolor crayons to patch up an image, just make sure you let the card stock and color dry between each application, then it will work nicely. 

As stated earlier, the Creative Sketches challenge this week is sketch based with a holiday theme.  You can choose any holiday you would like… then use the sketch to create a card or project and visit the Creative-Sketches Design Team blog to upload the URL of your blog post or picture!

See you tomorrow with a new card for Sketch Frenzy Friday! 

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: greeting card kids,holiday,halloween,fall cards,watercolor with markers,technique,tutorial,big shot machine,Square Lattice,Textured Embossing Folder,Sketch Frenzy Friday,Challenge

DCBD233 Glittered and Shimmered Congrats

Yesterday was the unofficial launch day for the new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog… I say unofficial because you can’t really order from the new catalog yet, but you can certainly touch it and peruse the pages!

So… with today’s DCBD233 Challenge, I thought it would be fun to use the new Lace Border Punch!  Following today’s Diva Coffee Break Designs Team Sketch, and using a bit of shimmer mist, shimmer paint, and glitter brads, my card uses a classic color combination:  Ivory, Black, and Gold.  Hope you like it!

I thought the curly & cute stamp set greeting was appropriate for the curly and lacey border punch detail.  The Naturals Ivory Card Stock background was actually sprayed with shimmer mist… my original recipe using rubbing alcohol and champagne shimmer paint.  The medium paper daisy was also shimmered the champagne shimmer paint using a sponge dauber.

In the photo above, you can see a bit of the shimmery background, which is very difficult to photograph.  The Brushed Gold Card Stock and paper daisy are offset with punches and a black glitter brad… just for fun!

A very CAS design, today’s card was also very easy to assemble!  The flower is popped up with a stampin’ dimensional, but everything else is glued flat with multipurpose adhesive.

Hope you will visit the Diva Coffee Break Designs Team blog, and perhaps play along with us this week.  The sketch was designed for a 3x6 card…but go ahead and make it your own!  Change it up, use the basic bones of the sketch… and then upload the url of your blog post containing the sketch, to the team site!

We look forward to viewing your designs!  See you tomorrow with a new card for the Creative Sketches Design Team!  Psst… I’m featuring a fun holiday card using the Greeting Card Kids Stamp Set and watercolor with markers technique!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: idea book and catalog,shimmer mist,glimmer mist,shimmer paint,gold,congratulations,divas,dcbd,challenge

UDI41 Flores Suaves Color Challenge

What a crazy weekend!  Fun Friday evening with yummy Mexican food, and the show CAT’s at the Times Union Center, shopping all day Saturday with DD getting clothes for her new job, and of course, even found a little time to complete my ATC’s for an upcoming swap… oh, and let’s not forget Fathers’ Day on Sunday!  Hope your weekend was filled with pleasantries!

Today’s Utah Divas International Color Challenge featured the colors Pretty In Pink, Rose Red, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso.   I’ve already seen some of the fabulous cards made by team members… be sure to check out the team blog for all current contributors, and play along too!

Knowing I wouldn’t have much quality stamping time this weekend, I quickly threw this card together for the color challenge, using the Flores Suaves, En Francais, and Thank You Kindly stamp sets.  Giving credit where due, my card was actually inspired by one I had seen by Susan R. Opel in a recent Paper Crafts Magazine publication… although her original design was much more elaborate!

The double loop bow was quickly tied on my finger tips, and attached with three mini glue dots to a band of taffeta ribbon stretching across the first three card layers.

Stamped with Early Espresso Classic Ink, the floral image from the Flores Suaves Stamp Set was colored with a Pretty in Pink Marker, then outlined and accented with a Rose Red Stampin’ Write Marker.  Both stem and leaf were painted with an aqua painter and Crumb Cake Classic Ink.

Couldn’t help but top the whole thing off with an accent of seven tiny basic jewel rhinestones… got to have some bling!

Here’s the inspiration for today’s color challenge:

Hope you’ll come play along with us this week!  Simply upload your color challenge project to your blog or online gallery and copy/paste the url from the actual photo to the Utah Divas International Design Team blog!

See you tomorrow with a new challenge from the Diva Coffee Break Designs Team!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: flores suaves,celebrando creatividad,stampin up,online shopping,design team,utah divas,color challenge,udi 41,card stock,stamp set,blog,inspiraton,thank you,card

Happiness Shared, One Stamp Two Ways!

Last month, I was the happy recipient of several beautiful and inspiring swaps from my VC Rocks friends, since I participated in FOUR group swaps… I have plenty of inspiration setting on my stamp room table!

One of the cards I received was from fellow demonstrator Barbara Furlong.  It used one of the lovely floral image stamp sets from the Stampin’ Up! Idea Book & Catalog called “Happiness Shared”.  I didn’t want to CASE Barbara’s card and claim credit for her beautiful design, so I used it as inspiration to create a card used last month’s Club Meeting. 

Club members loved this Clean and Simple (CAS) card with clean lines, Designer Series Paper Accent, and Double Scalloped ribbon punch trim  (DSRB Punch).

Strictly Basic Black and Very Vanilla, with accents of Basic Gray as found in the Neutrals Designer Series Paper Pack (DSP) background.  Supplies are minimal, no ribbon and simple accents of Basic Jewel Pearls along with a few Stampin’ Dimensionals to pop up the “happiness Always” greeting, part of the “Happy Greetings” stamp set from the current Summer Mini Catalog.

The smaller floral image from the Happiness Shared stamp set was stamped along the bottom of the greeting so that it didn’t appear completely suspended in space.  LOL… when I first looked at this photo, I though perhaps I had pressed too hard on my clear mount stamp, getting an over-stamp of the image… but that’s really part of the actual image!

Of course, I had to share Barb’s inspiration card too… which they all loved.  My stamping friends want to make sure their stamp sets are versatile enough to use for more than just one card, so I also made a second card to share for their inspiration.

Still maintaining the simplicity of a CAS design, the second card used Blushing Bride, Basic Gray, and Very Vanilla Card Stock along with the very same stamp sets.

Following the stamped image suggestions, I highlighted the same areas which were stamped in Basic Gray Classic ink using Blushing Bride and Pear Pizzazz Stampin’ Write Markers.  Using an Aqua Painter and Bashful Blue Classic Ink, I then gave the image a slight shadow for added depth…

Got a little heavy handed with the shadow on the upper left rose bud… did you happen to notice that?  My friends didn’t until I pointed it out.  I often show them where I goofed on a card so the know that nobody else is really going to notice it anyway, come on… this is art after all!

Hope you enjoyed the Happiness Shared and Happy Greetings cards in today’s blog post… feel free to CASE my cards with credit and a link back to my site!

Today, my stamping friends are picking up their new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog… Wow, are they excited!  If you haven’t received your copy yet, or would like to start a stamp club with your friends, contact me to find out how!

I look forward to hearing from you, and having you back here for tomorrow’s post… which will feature another installment of the Utah Divas International Color Challenge!

Hugs,

Sharon

Technorati Tags: cas,happiness shared,swaps,vc_rocks,convention,Barbara Furlong,For the love of stamping,summer mini,order online,happy birthday,5 minute cards

How Fast Can I Sail Away Workshop Wow

Two Clean and Simple (CAS) 5 minute cards to share today.  Both use the Sail Away stamp set from the Summer Mini Catalog, and both are quite suitable for beginning stampers and just about any occasion, given the greeting of your choice.

The first card features the Acrylic Block Stamping technique from a past Super Saturday Tutorial.  It also contains hidden riddle, and is a fun card to do as a real Workshop Wow! 

Why is this card a Workshop Wow? 

• Because with the CAS design,  you can easily and quickly feature two techniques (mat pack with paper piercing tool, and Acrylic Block Stamping Technique). 
• You can show another feature and the versatility of the Acrylic Blocks.
• It’s also because the person who solves the riddle can be a special door prize winner… talk about starting the stampin’ party off with a bang!  Now do I have your attention?

Sometimes, with the Acrylic block Stamping Technique, it’s difficult to get the ink to completely transfer to the card stock… but that’s ok… after all, most skies have pretty and fluffy clouds, don’t they?

Now it’s time for you to solve the riddle… look at my card, and tell me how fast my sail boat is travelling!

Stamps used for this card included Sincere Salutations, and of course Sail Away from the Summer Mini Catalog.  The Baja Breeze seam binding and Early Espresso ribbon were layered across the stamped card layers, and then three silver brads added using a mat pack and paper piercing tool.

We made this card at a recent card club meeting, LOL… and although I got a lot of puzzling looks, one lady studied it for a moment and was able to answer the riddle!

The answer can be found in the next photo…

If you haven’t caught on to my quirky sense of humor, here’s a hint… the speed on a sailing ship is measured in knots!  Now, look at the photo again, and I’m sure you’ll know the answer!

This second card was one made for one of my 245 stampers groups… they make two cards for $5.00, and I bring all the supplies.  Commonly these card making sessions are done with church groups, seniors, and Mom’s Groups.

Again, the mat pack and paper piercing tool were used to add a simple corner embellishment, and stampin’ write markers in Pacific Point, Cherry Cobbler, and Bashful Blue were used to color boat and waves.  The Happy Birthday Greeting is from the Cute & Curly Stamp Set… which I just don’t seem to use enough…why?  I guess I forget I have it, LOL!

Tomorrow is the first day we can share the new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalog with our customers.  I’ve been marking my favorites for a couple weeks now, although I’ve been itching to share it with my customers and friends.  I know many of my customers reading this are going to say WHAT???  But rules are rules… and although I've been itching to hand them out, I haven’t… and my club members will still get their catalogs in plenty of time to compile their new wish lists for the First Wednesday Card Club!

If you enjoyed today’s cards, please leave a comment.. I love reading your comments, they encourage me to keep writing and working away in my stamp room creating new designs, and I always look forward to reading them!

See you tomorrow with a couple very different cards featuring the lovely Happiness Shared Stamp Set.

Hugs,

Sharon

All items featured in today’s blog post are available at my Online Stampin’ Up! Store!

Technorati Tags: card club,workshop wow,riddle,5 minute cards,clean and simple,CAS,Sail Away,Summer Mini,online store,2011-12 Idea Book & Catalog,cards for guys,mat pack,paper piercing tool