#yourewelcome

My sister's birthday was yesterday and I wanted to make her a card using two current stamping challenges. But in the end, it turned out to be a good masculine card so I'll save it for someone else.

My layout inspiration came from Mojo Monday #387 (MOJO387), and my palette came from Color Throwdown #332 (CTD332). The colors reminded me of the Fresh Prints DSP Stack from last year, which included Real Red, Coastal Cabana, and Crumb Cake. I threw in a little Night of Navy to finish it off.

I couldn't wait to use the fun new stamp set "Balloon Bash." How adorably snarky is the #yourewelcome?

Stampin' Dimensionals really take this card to the next level. I cut out both the banner and balloon and propped them up to create a little 3D interest. 

Stamps: Balloon Bash
Paper: Fresh Prints DSP Stack, Crumb Cake CS, Night of Navy CS, Whisper White CS
Colors: Real Red, Coastal Cabana, & Night of Navy Markers
Tools: Paper Snips, Project Life Corner Punch
Accessories: Neutrals Candy Dots, Linen Thread, Stampin' Dimensionals 

italics = retired product

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Baja Snowflake

It may seem silly to be creating a Christmas card at the end of January, but I am playing along with the ladies at 'Tis the Season for their latest color challenge (TTS9)!

Instead of Marina Mist, I used Baja Breeze. I have a TON of Baja Breeze felt snowflakes left over from another project, and I'm trying to use them up. I also wanted to use the Ski Slope DSP because it has BOTH colors in it!

For my layout, I used the sketch from Mojo Monday #330 (MOJO330).

My "tall & skinny" card measures 4" by 7" so I had to make a custom envelope for it. I used the same pattern of DSP that I used on the card, so it coordinates beautifully!

Here is a peek at just the envelope itself. If you have been holding off on getting the Envelope Punch Board, I highly recommend it. It is definitely on my list of top 3 stamping tools I couldn't live without!

Purchase this card here!

Stamps: Mini Mates
Paper: Ski Slope DSP, Baja Breeze CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Whisper White CS
Colors: Chocolate Chip Ink
Tools: Circles Collection Framelits, Big Shot, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, Envelope Punch Board
Accessories: Little Felt Flurries, Chocolate Chip 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Rhinestones, Stampin' Dimensionals 

italics = retired product

Christmas Love

So glad that the ladies at Tis the Season extended their latest challenge (TTS6). I made this card for my special someone - thought the colors were bold and manly. This time though, I was not able to use the optional trimming (embossing). I just had no time because I am a procrastinator extraordinaire. Also, I just HAD to make a card for Mojo Monday challenge #325 (MOJO325) because 3/25 is my birthday! :)

 

The little "love" banner is from a stamp set that is coming during Sale-a-Bration (begins the end of January). The best part is, there is a matching punch! AND the punch will be available in next year's catalog (in case you don't get it during SAB).

Stamps: Best Yet, Banner Blast (SAB)
Paper: Print Poetry DSP Stack, Old Olive CS, Rich Razzleberry CS, Very Vanilla CS
Colors: Midnight Muse Ink, Old Olive Ink
Tools: Full Heart Punch, Banner Punch (SAB)
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals 

italics = retired product

Manly Christmas Cards

While I was playing along with 'Tis the Season challenge #3, I came up with lots of other Christmas card ideas that didn't follow the sketch. Here are two that my friend thinks are "manly." I'm entering these into Great Impressions' November Challenge - Christmas (GISMC11), Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Keep it Clean and Simple, and the Penny Black Challenge - Anything Goes. On this first one, I love how Dasher fits perfectly inside one of the window frames. Although it's hard to see in the pictures, I paper-pierced around the edge of the brown layer.

I used the Window Frame Framelits on this next card as well, but added a little bit of a different twist. Instead of layering two frames, I layered one frame over a square. It gives it a different, funky look. Again, I used the Festive Paper-Piercing Pack to paper-pierce along the outside of the red window frame. I took a close-up, so you can see it on this card.

Stamps: Dasher, Perfect Presentation 
Paper: Merry Moments DSP, Real Red CS, Garden Green CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Very Vanilla CS
Colors: Chocolate Chip Ink/Marker, Garden Green Marker
Tools: Big Shot, Window Frame Framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, Paper-Piercer, Paper-Piercing Mat, Paper Snips (to cut out Christmas tree), Envelope Punch Board
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals 

italics = retired product

Sweater Weather

Challenge #171 at the Paper Players is a color challenge. It just so happens that all three of these colors are in the Sweater Weather Designer Series Paper in the Holiday Catalog. So that helped narrow things down!

I also used the Mojo Monday #319 (MOJO319) layout, and I am submitting this card to the SUO Challenge #83 - a Favorite Sentiment. I just love this Happy Birthday stamp!

I don't have the Circle Framelits yet, so I had to break out the retired Circle Scissor Plus to make my two bigger circles. I haven't used it in a really long time - it's pretty easy actually!

I love this trick. To make perfect flagged ends (that are always matching if you have more than one), just insert the end of the paper a tiny bit into the Hexagon Punch, and punch!

I lined the envelope with the same pattern of DSP as the little tangerine flag.

Here is another trick that I used today. Because I only have a couple 6x6-inch squares of this DSP (I didn't buy the whole pack; I got it as part of a paper share), I wanted to maximize my usage of it. So I cut two smaller pieces, rather than one long, large piece to be my background layer. (I know, I should have flipped one of them the other way. But in the pic of the whole card, it's hardly noticeable!)

Stamps: Birthday Wish 
Paper: Sweater Weather DSP, Tangerine Tango CS, Chocolate Chip CS, Crushed Curry Textured CS (but could use the current Core'dinations paper to achieve the same look), Very Vanilla CS
Colors: Tangerine Tango Ink
Tools: 1-3/4" Circle Punch, Circle Scissor Plus, Big Shot, Envelope Liners Framelits, Hexagon Punch (to make flagged ends)
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals 

italics = retired product

Dog Talk for "Clean & Simple"

The inspiration for this card began with Around the World Challenge #4 (AW04). Then, I decided it applied to the Simon Wednesday Challenge (keep it clean and simple) for this week too! I'm also entering this card into the Loves Rubber Stamps Blog Challenge #77 (LRSBC77) - the challenge is anything goes. The color scheme began with the color challenge at Stylin' Stampin' INKspiration (Cajun Craze, Baked Brown Sugar, Crisp Cantaloupe) - but I just could NOT make it work. That Crisp Cantaloupe just didn't belong in there! So I left it out. :)

I got this stamp set earlier this year and hadn't inked it up yet - so I was excited to give it a go! Not only is the set a really cute concept, I love dogs and buy pretty much any stamp set that has a dog in it. Some day, I'll do a post on my little mini scrapbook dedicated to my dog Pearl. There are some old blog posts about her here and here. She's my fur child! :)

Ok, ok. On to the card! Even though I did not use the flash, the coloring looks a little different in each pic. I guess Cajun Craze is not that photogenic! I used Staz-On ink so I could watercolor the dog using Blender Pens and the ink pads. (With the ink pad closed, squeeze down on the middle of it - this creates a small "pool" of ink on the lid of the pad that you can dip your blender pen into.)

This simple color scheme seemed like it would work well for a man - so I left off the ribbon along the bottom. I made the envelope liner from the Cajun Craze paper in the Regals DSP Stack.

Stamps: Animal Talk
Paper: Baked Brown Sugar DSP, Cajun Craze DSP, Baked Brown Sugar CS, Cajun Craze CS, Whisper White CS
Colors: Staz-On Jet Black Ink, Baked Brown Sugar Ink Pad, Cajun Craze Ink Pad
Tools: Blender Pens, Stamp-a-ma-jig (for sentiment), Envelope Liners Framelits, Big Shot
Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals