How about a slightly vintage sympathy card today? I put this together last week for a sketch challenge then never got around to uploading it. I love the new Spice Cake DSP- so many nice colors and designs that look lovely together (even though I only used one here). Was trying to keep this as Clean & Simple as possible- I think for another CAS challenge somewhere. 
I rarely get to play along with the Inspiration Challenge on Saturdays at SCS. But this weekend I did. We were directed to find inspiration at Thymes.com which was no problem. I used the entire Lavendar collection to guide this card. Obviously I grabbed the soft shades of purple with a lot of white space, and added some texture with the embossing after the stamping and the pinking hearts border punch. 
Sorry I've been MIA since Wednesday! I enjoyed a wonderful weekend scrapbooking with my mom, sister and aunt this weekend (and spent a few days getting ready for that, plus volunteering and other stuff of course). We had so much fun and I got 12 pages done!
These flowers are Rose Red and Pink Pirouette on the Chocolate base with white ink for the sentiment. Easy peasy! 
So this is actually the first card I did. You'll see later this week that it actually mimics a scrapbook layout I did (which, incidentally, was heavily influenced by a sample on the cover of the Simply Scrappin' Kit I used). The retired SS Kit I used is called Pina Colada. I adore the collection of patterns of paper in this kit, not to mention the galore of gorgeous adhesive die cut stickers! I can't wait to show you the pages I did with it. In fact, 10 of the 12 pages I completed this weekend were done with Simply Scrappin' Kits I believe!
And finally, a single layer sympathy card. This was the second card I made and I wanted to go as different as I could from the bright summery butterfly card. I was hoping to use a soothing netural color palette and elegant style. Vintage Vogue is a good stamp set for accomplishing that look I think. Plus the colors Soft Suede, Kraft and Whisper White help too. Accessories I used here are a Latte button, Kraft Taffeta ribbon and the Modern Label punch in vellum cardstock. The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.
Hello! After some sporadic posting I am back. I had a few SU events which all went well but kept me busy. Had sick kids home yesterday and had some yard work to do since it was so nice out, but today I'm solo and ready to stamp. Well, I still have some yard work to do and think I'll vacuum out my car one more time before it is too cold... plus washing some bedding so I can take advantage of this warmer weather and use my clothesline today. But FIRST, I will be stamping!
guess I have strong ideas about color so of course every challenge isn't going to appeal to me. Next to each other these colors look a little drab, but it didn't take me long to get working with them. Funny thing is my biggest challenge was getting the gray in there once I had this designed. That's funny because I LOVE Basic Gray!
I just got this set, Asian Artistry this week and was happy to use it, just not happy about the occasion. The layout is actually from the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge. I think I'm too late to officially enter, but that's OK... I needed a sketch and this one fit the bill. Instead of one panel inthe back I used three strips of varying size instead. 
I'm sorry to say that I am in need of a sympathy card today. I made this with the Inspired by Nature stamp- which always seems appropriate to me for almost any occasion. This time I inked it up with my Watercolor Crayons- yes I do own them even though you almost never hear me mention them. When I first stamped this image I said 'Yuck' and so did my kids, but once I cut it into the oval shape, sponged the eges and layered the vanilla under it I felt it actually worked. The true story is that my water bottle that I normally would use to mist the stamp is missing and the only other one I have only sprays a direct squirt- no mist. Well, I did the best I could with it and this is the result. Also, this isn't watercolor paper so just imagine how nice this could look. 
This first card I made for two on-line challenges but the funny thing is I cannot find one of them for the life of me. It was a color challenge to use Basic Gray, Blush Blossom, Pumpkin Pie and Really Rust. If you know of it, let me know so I can link it here and give credit. The sketch is from the Clean & Simple blog's FTL54. I tried my hand at some doodling which reminded me why I never do it- I stink at it! LOL! 
This next card is the sympathy card that I needed for a friend. I love using that Medallion background stamp and really wanted it to be subtle but still a focal point if that makes sense, so I decided to use it as the background but to accent the center of it on the sentiment. The wide organdy ribbon is a retired SU product that I reach for often on these types of cards. However, the bow that I started with seemed too cheery and pretty for the occasion so I decided to try a different type of knot which feels a bit more subdued I guess. What do you think? The brad in the center of the medallion is not an SU product but I couldn't say what it is- I've had them for years and years. In true Beate style I decided to show you the inside as well. 
Finally, here is the card my daughter made for her cousin's birthday party we are going to today. She chose the colors right off the top of her head, grabbed the Medallion background and went to work. I cut out the butterfly for her, but that's it. I think it's pretty good and I plan to CASE her color combo soon. FYI- it is Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry and Taken with Teal. The rhinestone things are fairly new so I happen to still have the packaging- they are Crystal Stickers by Mark Richards. She wasn't thrilled with how the Medallion didn't stamp all the way the first time but I convinced her it looks cool that way.
I made this card using this sketch from the Clean & Simple Stamping Blog. I wanted to do something bold and dramatic so chose to use the red/black combo on a kraft background. I didn't start out intending to do a sympathy card, but unfortunately found out while I was making it that a good friend's mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly yesterday. Do you ever worry about sending a handmade sympathy card? I know not everyone has an appreciation for handmade art and I would hate for anyone to actually be offended for receiving one. I am sure this friend won't feel that way, but this question has gone through my mind before... what do you think?
Anyway, I guess my go-to set is Inspired by Nature lately so it came to mind right away for this sketch. The flowers are stamped on the kraft cardstock with Black Staz-On then restamped on the vanilla after reinking with markers Real Red, Mellow Moss and Basic Black. The grass is stamped on the kraft cardstock in versamark so it is very subtle.
I'm a bit late with all the excitement of today's start to the Stampin' Up! Holiday Extravaganza Sale, but here is my design for today's Diva Coffee Break Design Challenge. This is our third, and you can hope to see a new design every Wednesday! 
