Flippin' Embellished Ornaments

Another Christmas Card for two challenges.  This time a sketch challenge from Stamp Ink Paper Challenge.  This sketches is similar to the sketch in my last post.  Instead of making another difficult with shaker card I decided to make a "simple" swing/flip flop card!  Wanna learn how to make this card? Let me know.  Here is the sketch from Stamp Ink Paper. 

The second challenge is from Splitcoast Stampers Hope You Can Cling To Challenges and Card Drive.  The card theme challenge is to TRASH Cancer, use the word T-R-A-S-H to include elements in your card that begin with each letter.  The elements I used are:
T- Tree branch and Thinlits
R- Real Red and Ribbon
A- Action card and A2
S- Sparkle and Swing card
H- Heat emboss and Holiday

STAMPS: Embellished Ornaments, Sweet Essentials, Ornamental Pine
PAPER: Garden Green, Real Red, Whisper White, Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper, Red Foil Paper
INK: Garden Green, Real Red, Versamark, StazOn Black, Soft Suede
OTHER: Delicate Ornaments Thinlits, Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Clear EP, Gold EP, Glimmer Brads, Dazzling Diamonds, Garden Green 1/8" striped ribbon

Tis the Season for Christmas Cards

I'm back with a mission to create a Christmas Card out of all of the new stamp sets and dies I bought from the new holiday catalog....stay tuned, this could take a while.  

My first Christmas card I made for two different challenges.  The first is a sketch challenge at TGIF Challenges.  I made the focal element a shaker window because the second challenge was to make a card depicting your least favorite weather. 

Speaking of the second challenge, it is over at Splitcoast Stampers. They are recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month with daily challenges in their sixth annual Hope You Can Cling To Challenge. And it's more than a paper crafting challenges, it is also a card drive.  After creating a card and posting it for one of the challenges you are asked to donate your card to UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.  The cards are then available for anyone at the cancer center to use.

As I said the challenge was to make a card representing your least favorite weather.  Now, I love snow, I think it is beautiful and love to look at it from the comfort of my heated home.  If I could hibernate and stay in my pajamas all day sipping hot cocoa it would be my favorite season.  I just hate being cold.  Actually, my least favorite weather is really in early spring when the snow has melted enough that all that remains is the blackened, dirty snow piled in parking lots and the edges of streets.  It's still cold and not at all pretty!  But, that would not make a very pretty card, would it?

STAMPS: None!
INK: Whisper White
PAPER: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
OTHER: Circle Framelits, Sleigh Ride Edgelits, Christmas Greetings Thinlits, Softly Falling EF, Snowflake Wooden Elements, Window Sheets, Silver Elastic Cord (retired), Chunky Glitter (retired)

Happy Scene for the Paper Players

There are so many wonderful new products in the Stampin' Up! holiday catalog and I have been itching to play with this combination. It is the Happy Scenes stamp set along with the Hearth and Home Framelits and The Paper Players sketch this week (found HERE) works perfectly for this set.....what do you think?

STAMPS: Happy Scenes, Reason for the Season

INK: Basic Black, Soft Sky, Olive Olive, Tango Tangerine, Crushed Curry

PAPER: Hello Honey, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Sweater Weather DSP

OTHER: Expressions Wooden Elements, Autumn Wooden Elements, Boho Chic EF, Hearth & Home Thinlits, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Linen Thread

Inkspired Halloween Box

While purusing some of my favorite stamping blogs in search of inspiration I came upon a "new to me" challenge blog called Inkspiration.  The current challenge sketch was just screaming at me to use the Spider Web Doilies!  Then I stopped myself thinking, "Do I really want to make another Halloween card that won't even fit in my box of unused Halloween cards?"   I then realized I don't have to make it a card but instead make it into a box and fill it with Halloween candy.  I also had the brilliant idea of giving that box of Halloween candy to my teenage son who is getting too old to be seen trick-or-treating but not too old to still want free candy.  Combine all of that thinking with the fact that I am stuck here at home while the long-awaited carpeting is being installed on our stairs and I have nothing else I could be doing so I may as well do some stamping! And we'll, here it is....

The challenge can be found HERE.

STAMPS: Among the Branches, a past Paper Pumpkin bat stamp

INK: Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Crushed Curry, Real Red

PAPER: Basic Gray textured CS, Whisper White

OTHER: Spider Web Doilies, 2" Circle Punch, White Bakers Twine, Crystal Effects, Gift Bag Punch Board

The "blood" splatters were made by mixing Crystal Effects with a couple drops of Real Red reinker. I mixed it and applied it with a toothpick.  

Stampin' Up Fall Fest

Back with a Halloween card inspired by two challenge sites.  Create a project with pumpkins on it is the challenge at Friday Mashup.  I was wanting a sketch for inspiration so I used this one at Try Stampin' On Tuesday.  

I can't remember the last time I used a Happy Halloween card so if you would like this one let me know!  If not, I'll just add it to my box of Halloween cards I've made in years past.....it' overflowing!

STAMPS:  Fall Fest, Teeny Tiny Wishes

INK:  Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive

PAPER: Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Whisper White, Black Glimmer Paper, Fightful Sight DSP

OTHER: Spider Web Doilies, Fun Fall Framelits

Vintage Leaves for Mojo Monday

I'm back at it, finally!  This is the first time I have created a card in four months and the first one in our new home.  I can't believe it has taken this long to be settled in enough to feel like I can devote a few hours to stamping. 

This card is for one of my favorite challenge sites, Mojo Monday, found HERE.  

STAMPS: Vintage Leaves, Tin of Cards

INK: Mossy Meadow, Delightful Dijon, Cajun Craze, Pumpkin Pie, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight

PAPER: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Delightful Dijon, Mossy Meadow, Bohemian DSP

OTHER: 7/8" Cotton Ribbon, Updated Essentials Piercing Template, Tags & Labels Framelits, twine string (non-SU)

This Is Why.....

This is why I haven't posted for so long.  It's hard to create or even think of creating in the midst of such chaos!  Less than two years after being transferred to Dallas, Texas my husband's company moved us back to Chicago!  We bought a house less than a mile away from our old house!!

At least I have a kitty helping me!

This picture was after the movers left. Nearly everything is in the center of the room because we are having all of the trim in the house painted white.  The painters had the house empty for three days before the furniture arrived but they still had plenty to do after the truck was unloaded.  That made it difficult to get things done with painters throughout the house!  I'm sure the painters were thinking the same thing with me in the way. 

Different kitty, still no help.

Three weeks later and furniture is in place, boxes unpacked but not much more progress!  Other rooms in the house are priority, but at least the boxes are empty, collapsed and out of the house!