Two in Two!

 Happy Monday all!  I'm back today with two challenges in two different cards.  I was determined to stamp today since it's been a few days so I set out to find a few challenges to try.  First up is the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  Second, is the Clean & Simple color challenge on SCS to use kraft, red, brown and vanilla.  This rarely happens to me but while brainstorming I had two totally different ideas and decided to do them both!

The first is more clean and simple.  I combined a sentiment from Whimsical Words (a Sale-a-Bration set from earlier this year) and I {(Heart} Hearts!  Did you notice the three clear buttons?  Did you notice the XOX connotation for hugs and kisses (in the buttons)??  Is it cheesy??  I wasn't sure. 

My second card is this Christmas Wishes card made with Gifts of Christmas.  The main image is embossed in Vanilla powder and the dove is painted with Lumiere which is an old pearl white paint that SU used to carry years ago.  My lid has a crack so it was fairly dry, but I just added some water and stirred and it thinned down nicely.

I'm sure you noticed the Glimmer Brads (available now in the Holiday Mini Catalog- pg. 36)- aren't they beautiful?!!  I also embossed the Vanilla piece with the Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions embossing folder.  Finally, the handmade poinsettia was done with the 5-petal flower punch and three black brads. 

I hope you've enjoyed these.  Next time you're trying a challenge, why not do it twice and see how different your cards end up?! 

Thanks for visiting!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Whimsical Words, Stitched Background, Gifts of Christmas

Colors: Crumb Cake, Poppy Parade, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Basic Black

Accessories: Big Shot, Embossing Folders: Dotted & Petals-a-Pleny; large heart punch, scallop trim border punch, scallop border punch, vanilla EP, Lumiere, Glimmer Brads, 5-petal flower punch, black brads, black narrow taffeta, bitty buttons, linen thread

River Rock Blues

Good morning!  Welcome to another Diva Coffee Break Design Wednesday.  Today we've got a fabulous color challenge for you!  These colors are so beautiful together you really can't go wrong.  If you are scrunching up your eyes looking for my Rose Red, well check out that Glimmer Brad in the center of the ornament.  Yep, that's Rose Red alright! 

I used a variety of different products on this card and I'm so happy with it!  The Northern Flurry embossing folder (available TODAY!) is making another appearance here as well as the ornament from the new stamp set Tags Til Christmas which works great with our ornament punch.  Other accessories include the Jewel Basic Pearls, Glimmer Brad and White Organza ribbon! 

I hope you'll consider playing along with this awesome Diva challenge!  Be sure to check out the Diva blog for more inspiration before you get started, then stop back there and link your creation so we can see your hard work!

Have a great day!  Be sure to stop back tomorrow... I have a rare 3D gift idea- three of them as a matter of fact.  I can't wait to show you!

~Kristin

Glimmer Berries

Have you ever used an embossing folder on vellum?  It is such a cool look but I rarely remember to do it.  Well this time I remembered and tried it out with the Elegant Lines folder.   Did you notice those awesome sparkly brads??  They are called Glimmer Brads and are also from the new Holiday Mini catalog.  I couldn't help myself and ordered them in every color combination (4 sets)!  These are actually in the set of Brights and are referred to as Real Red but I think they look great with the Cherry Cobler paper.  That's the nice thing about some accessories, they can nicely transition between shades.

For this card I was attempting to use last week's Color Challenge on Splitcoast.  The challenge was to use Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobler and Pretty In Pink.  If you're thinking I forgot about the pink, I really didn't.  If you look closely I painted some onto the vellum with an aquapainter.  It added some shading.  Not sure that it was needed except to qualify for the challenge.  I do like how it is a subtle detail though. 

If you have already started your list for the Holiday Mini (Sept. 1) you may just want to add these Glimmer Brads!  They will be available in Brights, Subtles, In Colors and Basics which are neutrals: black, gray, champagne, silver and gold!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Be sure to come back tomorrow to join me for another Diva Sketch challenge! 

~Kristin

Edit:  Forgot to mention that I used a sketch from the Clean & Simple blog sketch challenge 104! 

SUO Supplies

Stamps: All Holidays

Paper: Cherry Cobler, Vellum cardstock, Whisper White, Always Artichoke

Accessories: Big Shot, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Glimmer Brads, Scallop Trim border punch, aquapainter

Sanded Northern Flurry

Last but not least... here's my third card made with the fun new Northern Flurry embossing folder.  This time I embossed it onto a piece of this Concord Crush patterns paper (a Level 1 Hostess set) then gently went over it with my sanding block.  This technique reveals the white core of the paper to highlight the raised pattern.  I added some chunky glitter to the snowflakes and also to the main stamped piece for snow.  This round snowman tag is from the new stamp set Tags Til Christmas and actually has a "To: and From:" sentiment on it which I just covered up with the glitter and my own Modern Label punch with a stamp from Teeny Tiny Wishes. 

I have one more Christmas card I'll add either later today or tomorrow using the Elegant Lines embossing folder and new Glimmer Brads from the Holiday Mini Catalog that is available on September first.  After that I'll try to just sprinkle them in here and there.  No one wants to be sick of Christmas cards already in August! 

Thanks for stopping in!  I'd love to hear from you!  Let me know what you prefer- this XL photo or the Large from previous posts.
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Tags Til Christmas, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors: Concord Crush, Pear Pizazz, Whisper White (Poppy Parade for the snowman's scarf)

Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Flurry Textured Impressions embossing folder, Concord Crush ribbon, Chunky Essentials glitter, Modern Label punch, 1 3/4" circle punch

Northern Flurry Dasher

I'll try to make it short today and not mention the Holiday Mini Catalog more than once!  ;)  Here's the second card made with the new Northern Flurries Textured Impressions folder on Whisper White.  I used the reverse or "debossed" side and then brayered some Night of Navy ink over over the whole piece.  After I stamped Dasher in Navy I sponged some white at the bottom of the Top Note for a snowy effect, then added a few touches with the white gel pcn.  The sentiment piece is one of the labels on the Matchbox Bigz Die and the stamp is from Snow Swirled. 

That's it!  Have a great day and I'll see ya tomorrow!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Dasher, Snow Swirled

Colors: Night of Navy, Whisper White
Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Flurry Embossing folder, brayer, white gel pen, Matchbox die (label), Top Note die

Holiday Mini Catalog Sneak Preview

Hello!  Are you ready for Christmas cards yet??  I know I know, I'm not sure I'm ready yet, but at least I didn't make you look at them in July!  Anyway, today I played with my new Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Northern Flurries, which will be in the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini catalog.  Isn't it cool?!  I know, I say that about EVERY embossing folder... but seriously, I had so much fun playing with it that I will be showing you a few more over the next two days.   

So what do you think of this color combo, Basic Gray and Cherry Cobler??  The edges of my top layer of Basic Gray are sponged with a hint of Basic Gray ink for some added dimension.  I added a jewel basic pearl to the center of each embossed snowflake- they look so cool in person.  I love that there are 4 different sizes of those babies!

My sentiment label is actually a Short & Sweet sentiment punched out with the small oval, layered on top of a new stamp in the Holiday Mini from the set called Tags Til Christmas.  I covered up the "Dec 25" that is part of the stamp.  Finished off with some Cherry Cobler seam binding ribbon also from the Holiday Mini. 

Wondering what this Holiday Mini is all about?  Well, it comes out September 1st and lasts until January 3, 2011!  Want to see it?  Stop back here shortly after Sept. 1st and I'll get it linked to my sidebar. 

Did you notice my new sidebar gadget counting how many Christmas cards I've made so far?  I thought it might be fun to see how many I get made in the next few months.  When will you start?  Well, stop back tomorrow- I can't wait to show you the other two I've made. 

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Short & Sweet

Colors: Basic Gray, Cherry Cobler, Whisper White

Accessories: Big Shot, Northern Flurries Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Jewel Basic Pearls, Extra-Large Decorative Label punch, Small oval punch