Thinking of You: Last of the series

Here it is, the last of the series of 6 that I donated to a fundraiser for a local Domestic Violence shelter.  In fact, I think today is the day of the auction.

Yet another pattern of this Epic Day DSP is shown here.  If this paper is any indication of the types of goodies coming out in the new SU catalog on June 1, I am THRILLED!  Can't wait!

Thanks for stopping by.  Tomorrow I've got a very simple set of Monogram cards I made for my Amish neighbor recently.  Stop back!
~Kristin


EDITED TO ADD:  Geesh!  Just realized how awful my pictures look the last several posts.  They look great on my editing software but once uploaded they look overexposed and just awful.  Any tips for me?  I have no idea why this happens periodically.  Sorry!  I'm making this one large instead of XL to see if that helps...

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper:  Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Epic Day DSP

Accessories:  Big Shot, Polka Dots embossing folder, Labels Collection framelits, Basic Gray striped ribbon, Modern Label punch, Everyday Enchantment brad

Thinking of You

Hello again!  Quick post for you.  I made this card last week with the Color Q challenge to use Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green and Certainly Celery (love this combo!) and also the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.  Of coures I missed both deadlines by not posting until now.  Humph!  I need to find challenges that give us a month to participate! 

I love the combination of these two challenges- pushed me to get creative- yeah!  Notice my paper piercing?  Used my new Paper Piercing Essentials Pack as well as the new large paper piercing matt.  Didn't think I needed it but am so glad I didn't have to use my tiny one for this.  I even prettied up the inside, but forgot to photo it.  It was cute, just trust me. 

Sadly, had a need to send this to a family friend that recently recieved a pretty devestating diagnosis.  My heart is out to him and the family. 

Thanks for stopping by today.  See you soon (school starts Monday so you know what that means- more stamp time!)

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Moving Forward

Colors:  Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green and Certainly Celery

Accessories:  Fancy Fan embossing folder, Create a Cupcake punch (for clouds), 2.5" circle punch, Comfort Cafe DSP, Paper Piercing Essentials Pack

Warmth & Texture and a Color Challenge

 So who's ready for another color challenge??  I don't know about you but I'm ready for those 75-80 degree days to stick around permanently so I had to come up with something WARM!  The Mojo Monday challenge was a perfect way for me to incorporate each of the three colors in the background.  Had some fun with texture and mixing a few different stamp sets. 

 I had fun experimenting with these colors and will be back again tomorrow with another one.  I hope you'll play along this time.  I've left the linky open a bit longer this time (a whole month).  Once it closes I'll pick a favorite or two to post here and share some love! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps:  Up in the Air, Fresh Vintage, Silhouette Sentiments

Colors:  Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White

Accessories:  Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, stamp punch, mini silver brad, tiny tag punch, dotted Crushed Curry Ribbon, Scallop trim border punch, markers

Stamp-a-Stack today!

Are you ready to see what you are missing out on today?  Our Spring Stamp-a-Stack, remember?!  That's OK if you forgot, but that's where I am today and these are three of the twelve cards our guests will be making.  This first one is a CASE of Debra Currier's original!  It is one I saved in my "Cards to Copy" folder but didn't include her name or wesite.  Took me forever to find it! 

 Here is my second card.  This one is another one closely inspired by someone else's card.  Julie Davison's idea HERE got me rolling on this one.  I used a different pattern of the Everyday Enchantment DSP (a FREE Sale-a-Bration option with a $50 order through March 31!), and added the ribbon (another FREEBIE option) with my sentiment on a little tag. 

Here is the third that you've already seen, designed entirely by yours truly.  I can't wait to see what the ladies think of our designs!  Thanks for stopping by,
~K

Diva Day, are you going to play??

 Good morning my loyal readers, how are you today?  I'm tickled to be stamping and that it's no longer 90 degrees here in my stampin' studio!  Ooh, speaking of Stampin' Studio (which you might know is really just one long wall in our master bedroom)- I might have a studio of my own in the next year or so!  Woohoo, I'll post details some other time.  You'll be so excited for me I'm sure!

Anyway, today is a Diva Wednesday and we've got a wonderful sketch for you which I've paired with a color combo challenge from Splitcoast that was much tougher for me than I expected.  I am late posting this today because it was one of those cards that just wouldn't come together- I tried and tried, cut and recut, scrapped idea after idea.  Well actually that's not true, I stuck with my original idea and just kept trying until it worked (which wasn't until this morning at 11am!)  Maybe I should've scrapped my idea last night and I would have come up with something much sooner.  Ah well, hindsight is always 20/20!

So it turned out fairly clean & simple considering how long it took me.  The tree was inked with markers, black and Wild Wasabi which takes a bit of time but I was anticipating a really neat look, especially since I've not used black for the tree before.  It was my layer colors that gave me fits but once I textured the Cajun Craze I liked it much better.  Somehow that texture helps it blend into the background which is what I wanted. 

Do you remember these felt flowers?  Well, it is one of those products that I love but completely forgot about until the box (with two full sets of flowers) fell off my shelf last night (while struggling with this card) and dumped everywhere!  Voila- using them!  I added a corduroy button in Baja Breeze to one and a black brad to the other. 

TIP:  Wondering how I made the layered sentiment?  Don't forget about the Big Shot die Movers & Shapers.  The Punch Windows set (page 209) comes with dies that layer perfectly with the punches: Scallop Oval, Modern Label (that I used here), large heart and the large star.  The idea behind this die is to be able to punch those shapes anywhere on your card, even where a standard punch wouldn't reach... but you can also use it like this and just cut out a layer for behind your punch.  Works like a charm!  I just lay a scrap of paper over the die and run it through the Big Shot. 

Anyway, I did up the inside a bit too so I'll leave you with that.  It looks a little plain to me, but keep in mind that the black striped ribbon actually ties in a bow on the inside of the card so that adds a little something too. 

Thanks for stopping by today!  I love having you visit!  Please go check out the other Divas and play along with the Diva challenge!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors: Baja Breeze, Cajun Craze, Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing folder, Felt Flowers, Corduory button, Movers & Shapers die, Modern Label punch, black brad, Black striped ribbon (phew!)

Stack of Birds

I'm a bit late (again) but I did play along with the Diva Coffee Break Designs color challenge this week.  I just haven't had time to post it until now (and I really should be outside finishing up my painting but I'm exhausted right now). 

The color combo this week is Cherry Cobler, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist and Early Espresso.  I believe I could enjoy Cherry Cobler with just about any combination.  I played around for awhile to come up with this card.  I thought it might be cute to stack the birds as if they are working together to reach a friend in the cage.  I actually wanted a "miss you" sentiment but couldn't find one even though I know I have one... I just didn't feel like looking very long I guess. 

Anyway, in case you are wondering, you are not imagining it, there is a row of punched circles in Early Espresso to the left of the main panel.  I layered them all then decided it was a little busy and the only way to tone it down was to make the circles tone on tone with the background.  It worked so well I had trouble getting them to show in the photo!

Hope you like it.  Go play along if you haven't already.  The Divas would love to have you!

Have a great day.  Hopefully I'll be back one more time before I leave for a week.  Then I'll be back for school and a routine again- ahhhh. 
~Kristin

SUO Supplies
Stamps: Aviary, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors: Cherry Cobler, Daffodil Delight, Marina Mist and Early Espresso

Accessories: Punches: Modern Label, Word Window, Eyelet border, 1" circle

Three Square

I'm not sure who came up with this design idea but this card came from another that I have saved in my "Cards to CASE later" file! Since I've been busy coming up with quick card sets for the Mom's Club Craft Bazaar or whatever it is called, I have been copying some favorites that I've been meaning to try for a long time.

This one was fun and not too hard, and has great results I think. The leaves are from the Little Leaves Sizzlit which I cut out three for each card in Vanilla paper. Glue them onto whatever color cardstock you want (I've used Marigold Morning, Brilliant Blue and Old Olive here) then punch out with the 1 1/4" square punch. Layer them on a slightly bigger square and glue them on a neutral cardbase. That's it! If you have a Xyron this is the perfect time to put it to use, otherwise I recommend SU's Two-Way Glue pen for the leaves.

In this set I have a Happy Birthday, Congratulations, Thinking of You and Thank You. Each of the sentiments is from an old set called Warmest Regards, an old hostess set I believe. See, I told you it's OK to hang onto those retired stamps and inks and papers!

So thanks for stopping by. I hope you have some sunshine in your life today!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Warmest Regards

Colors: Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Marigold Morning (Retired In Color), Brilliant Blue, Old Olive

Accessories: Big Shot, Little Leaves Sizzlit, 1 1/4" square punch, 1 1/2" square punch

Feathered Flock- Part II

So here is the entire set of note cards I've made using Lynn Pratt's bird class as inspiration! Aren't they just lovely together?? Here are individual shots so you can see more details. I hope you like them and might just try one yourself. One key ingredient is the Extra-Large Two-Step Bird punch which is currently available from Stampin' Up! in the Occasions Mini Catalog through April 30th only. If you'd like to place an order through me just let me know and I'll be glad to take care of you!

Wood Thrush?

Blue Jay

Cardinal

Robin

Woodpecker

Gold Finch

and finally, the Oriole again.

Everything used is by Stampin' Up! Cardstock colors, stamps & punches used vary- but if you have any questions feel to ask.

~Kristin

ETA: Thanks for all the comments and questions. I thought I'd try to answer a few of the questions, but also want to point out that on my post below there is a link to Lynn Pratt's classes where you can purchase the pdf file for downloading to get excellent, complete and detailed instructions on how to make some of these cards. Many of the birds are pieced together with multiple punched birds, cut in various ways (for example: the cardinal uses at least 4 red punched birds and one black one). Details are added with markers, white gel pen, punches circles for eyes in many cases and ink sponged on for definition. Also, the punch used is called the Extra Large Two-Step bird punch and can only be purchased from Stampin' Up! Here is a link to the bird punch- be sure to order through your SU demonstrator for the best possible price. If you don't have a demonstrator I'd be glad to order it for you! I hope that helps!!

Thinking of you...

It figures. I thought I was so on the ball doing a challenge the actual day it is posted only to realize that today is THURSDAY and the sketch challenge on SCS is posted on Wednesday! Oh well- it was fun and got me stamping. In fact, I made THREE cards today- that's right. My kiddos are back to school and my hubby had a teacher work day today so I had the house to myself and spent it doing what I love best!

I've been wanting to put this gorgeous DSP Cottage Wall to use and finally got a chance to do so with this sketch. I love stripes and having coordinating patterns to go with them is almost intoxicating- LOL!

I've linked two pictures of this card because neither show it quite how I wanted. The butterfly is stamped with Rich Razzleberry and embossed in clear powder for that extra sheen. Are you wondering how the powder stuck since we don't have craft ink in our In Colors? Easy! TIP: Ink the stamp with versamark then immediately ink it with the Classic Ink of your choice, then stamp and emboss like normal. Works like a charm!

TFL! More to come!

~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: For All You Do, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Paper: Cottage Wall DSP, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Pale Plum, Whisper White

Accessories: Clear EP, Versamark, Modern Label punch, jumbo white brad, scallop edge punch, Razzleberry dotted grosgrain, corner rounder

Thank you Color Coach!

I needed a masculine card for a relative and a thank you card for my DH to give to someone so I first pulled out my Wildlife Reserve stamps that I always do for anything related to my DH (he's a nature guy to say the least!).

Next, I went straight to the Stampin' Up! Color Coach for Ballet Blue (my favorite!). I chose Creamy Caramel and Always Artichoke with Ballet Blue accents (not exactly how you're supposed to use the color wheel, but it worked). There is a layer of Mellow Moss in there as well- it is listed on the wheel as a Dynamic Duo and I must agree. I refer to the Dynamic Duo section of the Color Coach often when I need a subtle layer or am working on a monochromatic or tone on tone card. It provides excellent pairings of colors!

Then I decided to pair the bird up with Lovely As a Tree which I haven't used in a LONG time (could be a year or more!). This is a great set to have for masculine cards (and Christmas cards, and sympathy cards and thank you... the list goes on and on)- tough to do those with flowers and bows!

Anyway, the front of this card ended up being a bookmark (not what I originally planned) attached with an Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware clip. I hadn't watercolored these trees in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you like it!

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Wildlife Reserve, Sanded, Warmest Regards
Paper: Creamy Caramel, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Basic Brown, Creamy Caramel
Accessories: Watercolor Crayons, aquapainter, label punch, Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware