Too Kind!

 This week's Clean & Simple challenge on Splitcoast is to use kraft (Crumb Cake) and bright colors.  This may not look very clean but it is only one full layer, and it was pretty simple thanks to fun and easy tools like the Big Shot and punches!  Here's another view: 

I have used the Movers & Shapers die before a number of times, but rarely the way it's intended- to cut a window somewhere you wouldn't otherwise be able to.  Well today I did!  And it was almost an afterthought.  First I embossed the Crumb Cake card base with the Elegant Bouquet embossing folder.  Then I ran it through the Big Shot again, this time with the Movers & Shapers die that matches the Curly Label punch which I did the white piece with. 

Did you notice the stamp also matches the punch and the die?!  Love that about Stampin' Up! products!  The stamp set that I made the frame with is called Vintage Labels and is retired.  The sentiment is from another retired set called Whimsical Words (both of these were Sale-a-Bration sets that I earned for FREE during SU's big annual promotion!). 

Anyway, the punches I used for the flowers are the NEW Triple Layer Blossom Bouquet punch and one of the bitty punches from the Itty Bitty three pack.  Wondering about the butterfly?  It was super easy with the Beautiful Wings embosslit and Big Shot!  I added some pearls for a finishing touch then stopped while I was ahead.  So what do you think?  Does it qualify for the CAS challenge?  If it doesn't that's OK too. 

Thanks for stopping by and thanks to Lisa Henke for virtual stamping with me today... maybe I'll have more for you tomorrow or Friday! 
Have a great day!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Vintage Labels, Whimsical Words

Colors: Crumb cake, Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder, Poppy Parade

Accessories:  Big Shot, Movers & Shapers die, Elegant Bouquet textured impressions embossing folder, Itty Bitty punch, pearls, Beautiful Wings embosslit, curly label punch

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!)

XOXOXOXO

Did anyone else grow up using xoxoxo for Hugs and Kisses in your notes, cards and letters?? It seems to me this was instilled by my grandmother and I actually forgot about it until I got a thank you note from my sister last week that had XOXOXO at the bottom.

Anyway, I missed posting yesterday's Diva Coffee Break Designs challenge card. We've been seriously snowed in (with another 6-8 inches on top of the 12-18 we already had) so my kids and hubby have been home hampering my computer/blog/stamping time. Instead we've made Valentine's, worked on a jigsaw puzzle, went sledding, and watched TV together.

This week's challenge was to use Bravo Burgandy, Pretty in Pink and Soft Suede to make a Valentine! Not too hard, eh?! I used my Movers & Shapers heart die as well as the full heart punch to make the window on this card. Inside I used the heart from Love You Much, stamped in Burgandy then watercolored with Watercolor Crayons and aquapainter then added touches of glitter to the center of the flowers. I also textured the Soft Suede piece with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions folder. Added some ribbon and the little round sentiment from Love You Much, then stamped the inside sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

I hope you'll consider playing along with the Diva's challenge this week- go ahead and make an extra Valentine for your honey, or someone else that might be least expecting it then get it in the mail TODAY! Also, be sure to check out THIS POST on the Diva Blog to see the Featured Artists for the last few months, and a blog candy winner!

And ONE MORE THING! Today the call for a new Clean & Simple Design Team on Splitcoast came out! I'd love to have all of you try out! This opportunity is for EVERYONE- so please don't hesistate to go for it!

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Love you Much, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors: Pretty in Pink, Soft Suede, Bravo Burgandy, Whisper White

Accessories: Movers & Shapers heart die, Big Shot, 1" circle punch, Bravo Burgandy grosgrain ribbon, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions folder, Full Heart punch, Watercolor Crayons, Aquapainter, glitter

Still writing thank yous?

I'm focusing on Thank You cards recently so that I and my kiddos can start working on sending out our thanks for Christmas gifts and such. Have you written yours yet? I know it's kind of a lost art, but I think it is so important to send a thank you. If you don't you should, and teach your kids too. OK, that's my public service announcement. LOL!

So this card was way harder for me than it should have been. I was trying to "fit it" to a challenge and it just wasn't working. These pieces have been laying on my desk for quite some time and I just loved how the Rich Razzleberry bird looked with the textured kraft piece... however, putting them together was a task. I'm not sure why- just missing Mojo maybe or maybe this darn migraine I've had for a few days.

Anyway, the kraft piece as well as the wing were embossed with the Petals-a-Plenty Impressions folder (from the Holiday Mini catalog- sorry, it was current when I made it and even when I scheduled this post). I then rubbed the Soft Suede inkpad over the raised parts for some more interest.

To get the Rich Razzleberry layer and the dotted border for the Lovely Label punch I used the Movers & Shapers die. I actually did it twice, once on scrap Razzleberry to get the layered piece then once on the Soft Suede card base. So, there is actually a hole behind the label but that's OK because I just glued the part that punches out over it so you can't see all the other pieces of cardstock. Sorry, that was tough to explain.

Did you notice the Scallop Trim border punch on the left? Would you like to earn that for FREE? It is one of the FREE options now during the Sale-a-Bration promotion at Stampin' Up! with a $50 order. I just love this punch, and the coordinating corner punch that is in the Occasions Mini. The bird is from the new Two-Step Bird punch in the Occasions Mini as well.

Gosh, I guess I have lots to say about such a simple card. So I'll wrap it up by saying the sentiment piece is from a retired set called Cute & Curly and the ribbon is Vanilla Taffeta.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit me today! Leave me a note to let me know you stopped by.
~Kristin

SUO Supplies

Stamps: Cute & Curly

Colors: Soft Suede, Kraft, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Big Shot, Movers & Shapers die, Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions folder, Scallop Trim border punch, Lovely Label punch, Two-Step Bird punch, Vanilla Taffeta ribbon

Love Bandit! {CAS46}

Today's Clean & Simple challenge on Splitcoast is a sketch challenge based on THIS adorable card by Lori Tecler! I've used it in two totally different ways. First up is using Love Bandit and I {Heart} Hearts which are both being released (in both wood and clear mount) in the Occasions Mini catalog from SU on January 5th!
Isn't that little raccoon cute? For this card I used the heart from the Movers & Shapers die to make a window in the front of the card. The "friend" heart showing through from the front was stamped with I {Heart} Hearts and punched with the full heart punch then raised with Stampin' Dimensionals. Just added some piercing around the heart opening and the racoon and called it done.

Here's my second take using Lori's card as inspiration. I was actually in a big hurry doing this one and the embossed scallop and snowflake were already in my unused stash from previous projects. I just added some Rose Red snowflakes to the chocolate card base, stamped the sentiment then added some ribbon.

Thanks for looking and have a great day! Come join us for the CAS challenge today if you'd like- we'd love to have you!

~Kristin