Paris in Love - Freshly Made Sketches #42

My project today is based on a sketch I found over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I pulled out a (unfortunately) rarely used stamp set for this, Artistic Etchings. I knew I wanted to use the image of Le Tour d'Eiffel and a traditional color palette, but this card just didn't want to go there. It wanted to be light, like a springtime breeze in Paris (I'm just imagining that, I was there in July, lol) so Pool Party it is! I also used a jumbo stamping handle and the Very Vintage jumbo wheel for the first ever (hang head in shame, I've had them for probably two years!) and I feel a bit ridiculous now...they were SO easy to use, I'm not quite sure what I was so scared of!

I added a bit of ribbon and some jewelry tags with the sentiment 'love' because that's what Paris is famous for! Oh and one of the new Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons to add the final touch of jewelry :)

Hope you are inspired!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Tiny Tags, Very Vintage (Wheel)

Paper: Pool Party, Whisper White CS; Twitterpated DSP

Ink: Pool Party & River Rock Classic Ink Pads

Accessories: 5/8" Organza Ribbon, Jewelry Tag Punch,  Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, Stampin' Around Jumbo Handle, Dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by!

MOJO Monday #248 - You're Amazing!

Happy Saturday! It's getting close to the end of vacation for me (sniffle), back to work on Monday. I used some precious days of vacation to move my craft room around, a big shout out to my DH for putting shelving up in the spare room closet to make room for all my goodies! Everything is finally where I want it and I found a sewing table online that is going to fit purrrfectly in the niche I have created for it, can't wait to add a bit of sewing to my projects! Anyway, while I wait for my new table to arrive I decided to play along with this awesome layout posted over at Mojo Monday. Playing along with these challenges is, well, challenging (lol) but hopefully will help me lose the fear of experimentation. Sometimes stepping out of our own box is rough!

Back on point, here's the challenge: 

And here's what I created with it:

I picked a DSP at random as my starting point. This pattern is part of the Comfort Cafe DSP collection and a bit outside of my box, so good thing to choose, yes? It's a very vibrant color, I have decided I really like it. Once the paper was chosen, I pulled out my trusty color coach and learned that Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke, and Perfect Plum work together. Hmmm, I would never have come up with that on my own, but they are right, I think they look wonderful together! The color scheme seemed masculine to me so I built on that. I paired two framelits from different collections and added a few brads for some masculine bling (hee hee, gotta get it in there somehow, right?) and changed up the bottom of the banner from the scallops in the layout to a banner, it seemed to tie in better. (BTW, I freehanded the banner cut.) I sponged everything to give it a bit of roughness but it still seemed to be lacking something. So I searched through my collection and found a nice masculine-looking stamp from the Clockworks stamp set and stamped it onto the Perfect Plum DSP for a bit more interest. I tied it up with some retired denim jean ribbon in Always Artichoke, it just had that right vibe for this card :)

Hope you enjoyed it and please stop on by Mojo Monday to see other creations with this wonderful layout. 

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: You're Amazing, Clockworks

Paper: Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla CS, Comfort Cafe DSP, Color Collection DSP Stacks in Perfect Plum

Ink: Cajun Craze Always Artichoke Stampin' Write Markers, Perfect Plum Classic Ink Pad

Accessories: Big Shot, Square lattice Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents and Labels Collection Framelits Dies, 3/16" Regals Brads in Cajun Craze, Always Artichoke Denim Jean Ribbon (retired), Dimensionals

PPA138 - A Reason to Smile

Hi there again! This week I chose to participate in the Pals Paper Arts Color Challenge #138 using these colors:

These colors just said 'sunflower' to me so I pulled out the stamp set Reason to Smile and got down to work!

I really wanted the flower to be the focus so I kept the rest of the card simple. Some Cherry Cobbler cardstock and Early Expresso DSP for the backdrop, layered ribbon, and a button on top of the main image all help draw the eye in. I used a blender pen to add some color to the other stamped images, just a touch of soft color.

I hoped you have enjoyed my creation, and please don't forget that this wonderful stamp set is available this month only with a $50 purchase.

Thanks for stopping by!

Love and Laughter - Freshly Made Sketches #40

Last night my husband and I were out fairly late and he could see when we got home that I was antsy. When he asked, I told him that I had really wanted to participate in a challenge but only had until Monday to do it. As I work during the day and it was 9:45pm on Sunday night, obviously this was a long shot for me. He asked "Can you do it in a half an hour?" Pregnant pause...then, "Yes I can!!" So I ran upstairs and put this card together. I had no idea what I was going to create when I sat down but I had the layout and that is often the hardest part!

Here is the sketch this week over at Freshly Made Sketches: (I love their clean and simple style!)

 In place of the oval shape (which I do not own) I chose to use the Labels Collection Framelits Die. Next, I picked an image from the Love and Laughter stamp set (one of my favorites) and then browsed through my Designer Series Paper for a wedding-y paper.

I selected a pattern in Summer Starfruit (mmm, yummy color!) from the Patio Party Designer Series Paper collection. Then I grabbed my trusty Color Coach and found that Baja Breeze would be a good compliment to Summer Starfruit. I chose a piece in Baja Breeze with a nice complimentary pattern from the Designer Series Paper Patterns Pack. I placed my Labels Framlit Die on a piece of Whisper White CS and ran it through the Big Shot.

Next I adhered my pieces of DSP to the die cut piece of Whisper White CS and using it as a guide, placed the die over my DSP and ran everything through the Big Shot again to create my frame. The CS on the back is what is holding everything together! Then I attached a bit of 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Baja Breeze to each side of the frame to cover up the seams. I then stamped my image in Basic Grey ink on another piece of Whisper White CS. I adhered Dimensionals to the underside of my frame and, after lining it up with my stamped image, adhered everything together so that the frame is elevated.

I chose to use Basic Gray as the background paper to compliment the ink used. I stamped the sentiment in Basic Grey ink and handcut the banner. For the cake topper, I used my Stampin' Write Markers to ink up the image in Summer Starfruit and Marina Mist (slightly brighter than Baja Breeze so it would stand out better). Added some Basic Pearls for a touch of bling and done!

I'm really pleased with how this card came together. It feels bright and cheery to me. Oh...and it only took 35 minutes to create!

Thanks SO MUCH for stopping by!

PPA136 - A Color Challenge

Hi Everyone! I'm a little late for this challenge, but it was SUCH a challenge for me I was determined to get a card made in these colors before tackling anything else!

We all know what these colors represent here in the good old US of A so this should be easy, right? Not! I just couldn't find any stamps in my collection that seemed appropriate  and I kept coming back to the new stamp set Betsy's Blossoms so I finally gave in and just went with it! I was working on it but realized it wasn't clicking for me so I set it aside and concentrated on my son's college graduation (I think that was probably my creative block!) and now that he's graduated (YAY Tyler!!), I was able to put something together that I was happy with!

As I mentioned, I was determined to use Betsy's Blossoms, so I stamped the flowers in Night of Navy on Whisper White cardstock and then changed it up by continuing the pattern on Night of Navy cardstock with the new White Staz-On ink pad. I like the effect but I'm not sure if embossing it in white would have made me happier. Hmmm...I will have to try that and see. Regardless, I used my Scallop Edge Border Punch to punch a border on a bit of Summer Smooches DSP, then ran a bit of the new 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon in Night of Navy over top of it along with a few buttons and a bit of white twine to add some punch. I stamped the sentiment from the new Itty Bitty Banners stamp set and used my Bitty Banners Framelits to punch it out. I'm just loving these new framelits! When I got them I thought to myself that it would probably be easier to just cut them out freehand rather than line them up and try to cut them out perfectly using the Big Shot, but it is SOOO easy!! I am really loving it!!

Thanks for stopping by!