A Triple Whammy!

I've got a triple whammy challenge card for ya! Don't groan... I know, sometimes I get annoyed when people try to cram all kinds of challenges into one card too! But seriously, I am so glad I did this time. I needed the challenges to get stamping today and it just worked out- so there! LOL.

Anyway, as you may know, we've been trying to liven up the GSG blog lately with new challenges (well, I have anyway). Today I posted a Limited Supplies Challenge today to make a monochromatic card within a set of guidelines. Go check it out to play along! (GSGC14)

I also decided today's Technique Lover's Challenge on SCS wasn't too hard so I added that element as well. The only requirement- cut something out. Be it out of patterned paper, an embossing folder or just a stamped image. (TLC207)

Finally, today's Mojo Monday sketch! (Mojo73) This is my second week in a row refering to the Mojo Monday blog to find a fun new sketch and I'm really enjoying them! I love the unique layout and detail they provide!

Anyway, you are always welcome to play along with any of these challenges that I link to my posts! And I'd love to hear from you that you have played along, or intend to. Post a link in a comment and I'll be sure to visit and show you some love!

So for my card I used blues, with chocolate as my one allowed neutral. I think I followed the Mojo sketch pretty well, and my butterfly is hand-cut after I embossed it, so it should qualify for the TLC. Here is my list of supplies I've used. If you have any questions feel free to pipe up!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Kristin

PS- I'm feeling much better now! Thanks for all the well wishes!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamps: Wonderful Wings (from 2001!), Cute & Curly (current)

Paper: Urban Garden DSP, Not Quite Navy, Soft Sky (retired In Color), Baja Breeze (current In Color)

Ink: Chocolate chip craft, Not Quite Navy, Soft Sky, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Distressing tool, Button Bouquet Button, Double Stitched Wide Chocolate Grosgrain, Clear Embossing Powder, Curly Label punch, Chateau Bella Rub Ons (retired I think), embroidery floss.

A New Challenge!

If you've followed the GSG group at all you may know that we have a blog but we haven't updated it since August 2008. That is until today. I don't know what got into me but I decided to post a new challenge. This is not only for the GSG gals, but for YOU too or anyone that would like to play!

Today's challenge is to let this amazing coat I found here inspire your next paper crafting project! I did and I'm so glad- now I want to buy the coat to go with my card.

I love the airy, natural, boutique-y look so tried to mimic that with the natural card base and the same beautiful colors. I also somewhat mimicked the coat by folding back a corner of my card and adding faux stitching with a marker. I used jumbo eyelets as buttons and tried to keep the same feel with my sentiment.

First I pulled out a variety of these realistic looking stamps of nature, including the hostess set Organic Grace that I just got from our recently retired catalog. I paired it with Touch of Nature and an old old set called Flowers of Gratitude. Now you know why I don't sell my retired sets, huh!

I watercolored each of these images with an aquapainter and my Watercolor Wonder Crayons. The sentiment is from Embrace Life, framed with Frames With a Flourish.

Inside I stamped the two fern leaves and the Mother's Day sentiment from All Holidays and was ready to quit when I noticed a big smudge right on the top fern! UGH! I HATE it when that happens. So, after considering it for a few moments I decided I had to use the dragonfly from the Organic Grace set and cover up the smudge. As they often do, this mistake ended up being a good one. I really like the raised dragonfly!

Anyway, here's the inside view and a list of the Stampin' Up! only supplies. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you like it as much as I do!

~Kristin

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamps: Organic Grace, Touch of Nature, Embrace Life, All Holidays, Linen background

Cardstock: Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Brown, Always Artichoke, Real Rust, Creamy Caramel

Accessories: Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets, Stampin' Dimensionals, Always Artichoke Marker, Aquapainter, Watercolor Wonder Crayons in Real Rust, Summer Sun, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Pumpkin Pie

ETA: better picture

A Little Bit...

A little bit of time to stamp today... mostly because my DD insisted upon it. I am knee deep into a book that I'd almost rather be reading plus we're leaving town for a few days so laundry should be first priority.

Anyway, today I will be posting a new Featured Stamper challenge over on our Great Swaps blog so I really wanted to CASE my FS first. Becky Carafa, the GSG fearless leader, is our FS this week. She is the brains behind our entire group and is just a treat to have as a cyber friend! Here is the card of hers that I chose to CASE and next is my version, and my DD's version (she wanted to make the VERY SAME card and insisted I photo it on the black stand and that it should be on my blog!). We kept the layout but changed up the colors and the stamps used. I also wanted to participate in this week's Great Swaps Challenge to use one of the sets that will be retiring at the end of July. Here I've used Polka Dots & Paisley and my DD added a sentiment from It's Your Birthday which is also retiring (*sob*).

Well, thanks for checking in. I'll probably be MIA until early next week since I'll be out of town. If it is cold or rainy I may sneak in a post while away if I can!

Stampin' Up Supplies

Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley, It's Your Birthday

Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst

Ink: Lovely Lilac

Accessories: Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, White Gel Pen

New Challenge on GSG!

Be sure to check out the GSG blog today for a fun Inspiration Challenge! The inspiration piece is from Pottery Barn Kids if that gets you curious... Anyway, here is the card I made for the challenge. I was inspired by the colors and patterns, as well as the fresh fun look and the designs on the walls.

This card also meets the requirements of SCS's Friday Limit Supplies Challenge LSC166: Spotlight on Circles in which the only tools that can be used are circle punches!

I'm not entirely pleased with my design- specifically the stamping on the background... but overall I like the idea. If I were to do it again (which I won't) I would probably stamp the bursts (from Snow Burst) in just one color. This card is 4" by 8.5"- not sure why I decided to do an odd shape, but it fits in a business sized envelope so is sendable. TFL- hope you like it!

Stampin' Up! Supplies

Stamps: Snow Burst, It's Your Birthday
Paper: Ballet Blue, Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Celery & Rose Red Prints
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Certainly celery, Ballet Blue, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Accessories: Circle punches in all sizes, striped Wasabi ribbon, White Gel Pen

Challenge Double Take, BRAKs and an award!

I've been busy this week, can you tell?? No stampin', no postin', very little bloggin'! Well, I'm trying to make up for it today. This card serves as 2 of the awesome challenges I've missed lately (I'll never catch up!). First is Splitcoast's weekly Color Challenge: Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate and Soft Sky. .. and yes, I know I technically used Rose Red, but I challenge you to hold this prints paper and/or the Stick flower up to Purely Pomegranate and see the difference... that's what I though, none! :)

I also wanted to combine these with Jessie's awesome sketch challenge over on GSG. I really like this sketch and would definitely use it again! This card went through many changes, but I like the final result I think. I have used the Eastern Elegance Rub-ons in 4 different spots, can you find them?? Also used on this card (since they've been laying around due to my recent SAS) are the cardstock stickers from the Build-a-Flower Accents & Elements tin. Thanks for looking! Up next are two more Birthday-RAKs!

Here is a close-up of the brad with the rub-on on it (yes, I told you where one of the rub-ons is)- it was very easy, and I love the subtle look! Go Try it!

Stampin' Supplies (All SU!)

Stamps: Seeing Spots

Cardstock: Basic Black, Textured Soft Sky, Whisper White, Rose Red prints, Fall Flowers DSP(for the little circle)

Ink: basic black

Accessories: Eastern Elegance Rub-ons, Soft Sky DS ribbon, circle punches, Build-a-Flower Accents & Elements Tin, Silver brad, black marker

These two BRAKs are from Vicki (Luvs2stamp2) and Jessie (Knightrone) respectively. Aren't they sweet? Vicki somehow knew my favorite flowers in my flower beds! And Jessie managed to send, quite possibly, the thickest heaviest card I've ever received... I mean, check out those layers. She might have used an entire pack of Stampin' Dimensionals just on me! Thanks ladies, you're so sweet for making my b-day awesome last week!

And I almost forgot... I've been nominated by Lisa Henke and Nicole for an award!! The Arte y Pico award. (Thanks Lisa and Nicole) This award was originally designed by Eseya at arte y pico . You pick five blogs that you think earned this award based on their creativity, design, interesting material, and contribution to the blogging community. List the names on your blog and link to their blogs. Leave a comment on one of their posts to let them know of the award! Each winner has to show the award and put the name of the person who gave them the award with a link to their blog. Also show the link to arte y pico. Here are the girls I'm passing on the award to:

Michelle

Jill

Wanda

Kim

Kendra