Definitely Stampers 2 Challenge

Our demo group has decided to have a monthly challenge...basically we are given a layout and a colr combo and then we are 'challenged' to design our own card...this was a real CHALLENGE for me as I always copy (I mean, CASE!)...but I am very impressed with myself on what I came up with!

I used the Sweet Summer stamp set and ALL THE COLORS!!!!


Cherry Cobbler, Cajun Craze, Baja Breese, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla

Poppies for you.....

Just lovin' that Punch Bunch set!  I stamped the main image in Baja Breeze, but used Basic Black to color the stems of the flowers & the words before I put it to paper (so I could get a Baja Breeze scallop)....then stamped it another time in Poppy Parade and a little Baja Breeze and Basic Black for the center of the flower (again using markers)...

The background pieces were stamped with the little flowers from Background Basics (but any small print would do)...thought this would make a nice Mother's Day card....



Poppy Parade, Baja Breeze, Daffodil Delight

Whoo's birthday is it?

This card is somewhat of a CASE but I changed up alot of things....I ran the bellies of the owl's through the lattice embossing folder to add some dimension...the hats are just a point of the large star punch...the pom pom is a standard hole punch....



Real Red, YoYo Yellow, Gable Green, Brilliant Blue, Glorious Green (for the leaves) Basic Black, Whisper White

Classic Birthday

I really like stamping with the Punch Bunch Hostess set...the Birthday scallop square makes a great male card....



Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Sahara Sand


(the trim is from the Big Shot Tasteful Trim die)

A rose is a rose....

       In my quest to use a stamp set that I haven't used it a long time, I pulled out Flower Garden....and I am also up to my ears in retired Blush Blossom cardstock so I tried to use both....I thought that the Blush Blossom looked nice with some Cherry Cobbler....



On one of the cards I used the big background stamp to add some texture...I moved the oval sentiment over to the edge and snipped off a tiny piece and added an eyelet (would you believe I have Blush Blossom eyelets, too??!!)

This is what's been taking up so much of my time.....

I've been making 100 Matchbox Easter treats for my kids to give out at school.....6 Hershey Kisses fit perfectly in each box....my 9 year old helped me cut and color the chicks and eggs...I ran the egg wheel over the covers to add some detail...the bunny (non-SU!) is stamped on pink with the Stazon Ink and bleached white....

While I'm typing this, I just remembered that I need to make a few extra for our Tumbling Class and for my sister-in-law!  Back to work!

Another Sweet card...

...from the Sweet Summer stamp set...very simple but really nice....the Chocolate Chip band is just a strip of paper....you could replace with ribbon if you'd like....

I think I'm going to use this as a Mother's Day card.....


Pretty in Pink, Pear Pizzaz, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake


(the scallop square is a Nestabilities die cut)

Rainbow Bright cupcakes, anyone?

Another card using the cupcake punch...I embossed the icing with a swirly embossing folder...I used the sprinkles stamp to make some confetti behind the cupcakes....the paper is from the retired tropical set from last summer...the little self adhesive flower is from the SAB Quick Accents pack



Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Pretty in Pink (for confetti)

Grape Ape.....

I know that's not the color of this paper, but I always think it's called grape and not Concord Crush!  This is the first time I've used it....it looks really nice with Pear Pizzaz or Old Olive....the stem with leaves is from Simple Summer and the punched flower is from the mini punch 3 pack...I just got some of those self-adhesive pearls and I love them...I didn't think I would use them (because I still have the pearls from the Pretties kit) but these are so tiny and perfect!  And they really do stick! (unlike some of the big boxed store ones)



I used Pear Pizzaz for the paper and the coloring of the leaves but I used the Old Olive (retired) striped ribbon....the patterned paper is from the hostess set of In Color papers....

I'm back...sort of....

I thought I would grab some inspiration from our monthly demo meeting, but, alas, it was cancelled (I wasn't feeling too hot anyhow)....I did manage to pull out some of my new stuff that I got from my Sale-a-bration order....I've been busy making Easter Treats and birthday goodies (I will post this week)....

I absolutely love the new cupcake punch and coordinating stamp set!  This card is a CASE from Sherri Barron....except she used a ribbon and I did not have the Pretty in Pink ribbon so I made a 'faux' ribbon (cardstock!!!)

Here's a cool tip: want a red cherry with a green stem?  Punch out the cherry in green and apply red glitter to cherry part!  Voila!


Early Expresso, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Crumb Cake

I'm still here....

I've been so busy getting my house back in order after getting a bathroom installed in my basement (yes, it disrupted my whole house!) that I haven't had much time to stamp...I did a little today...we have or demo meeting Monday so hopefully I'll get some inspiration from that...I'll post next week!

Another non-girly Thanks....

Here's another Thank You I sent out to the guys who worked on my basement bathroom....I love this single stamp!  So many options!  I used markers on the stamp to get the different colors.....


Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip.....

Owl thanks...

I needed some normal Thank You's (by normal I mean non-girly!) to send out to the contractor and plumbers and electrician who installed a new bathroom in my basement (yes, I'm still painting!)....so I used the new Sale-a-bration set that goes with several punches to make this card....

I stamped the owl several times--once to pop up eyes, once for body, then a 3rd time for So Saffron body....the beak is just a sliver of orange....the sentiment is from the retired Riveting set....

I got some really cute stuff in my latest shipment, but have not been able to play too much with the bathroom painting and then preparing for Easter treats (yes, I'm making 100!)...so I will have some new stuff samples to share soon!

Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Old Olive ribbon and button and branch....

Happy St. Pat's! (a little early!)

Here's another version of the inset technique from the previous post...I used the small heart punch and the even smaller heart that comes from the punch with the 3 hearts....adhered them in sets of 4 to form the clovers and then ran the white cardstock through my Big Shot...the embossing folders with the smaller patterns work the best (here I used the Lattice and the Tiny Bubbles folders)

My St. Pat's sentiments comes from a non-SU! set but is very similar to the single stamp we now carry in the Occasions mini...I even paper pierced around the sentiment for a little extra detail!

Green Galore, Glorious Green, Whisper White

Yet another try....

This was the card we were going to make a a Demo get-together at my friend Evelyn's house, but we had to postpone....I used some retired colors, but it is the same technique (I think it's being called inset or inlay-not sure)....I punched several flowers out of different colored paper and glued them to a piece of white cardstock....ran the white through the Big Shot with the Lattice folder and layered on a card front....added a punched butterfly (actually punched in 2 colors and layered) and a little fishtail (that's what they are calling the little tag!)

Wait till you see the St. Patrick's card I made with this technique!

Stamp set: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Punch Potpourri

Paper:  Orchid Oppulence, Lavender Lace, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion

And finally....

...this is the card I finally chose for the Make-n-Take for our Demo meeting...it uses the Pick A Petal set (another I had to dust off)...it is a really nice card that can be used for so many different occasions....just change up the colors and the sentiment and you're all set!


The black line around the card is hand drawn...adds a cute touch....


Daffodil Delight, Basic Black, Naturals White

Beary Boyish!

In my mission to use neglected stamp sets, I set out to use my Build-a-Bear sets (plus I needed a card for a friend's son who's turning 3 this month)....I like how embossed piece adds some texture without being a different color or framed by another layer.....and I didn't even layer the white piece that the bear is stamped on...thought I'd go for subtle....


Ruby Red, Naturals White, Tempting Turquoise ribbon.....




So how's this for luck? I go to put up a new blind in my new basement bathroom (that I feel like I've been painting for years!!! (it's only been a week!)...and there are no brackets or screws in the box!!!  This is AFTER I've already purchased and returned one other blind because I stupidly picked up the wrong size!  At this rate I should just staple up a piece of cardboard and be done!  LOL!

An oldie but a goodie....

...another try for a Make-n-Take....Loads of Love is such a great set to have in my stash, but I hardly ever use it....so I pulled it out and whipped up this card....



Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo