a creative mind at work in the deep dark basement

Friday, January 30, 2009

Blogger's Challenge- Birthdays #84

This weeks challenge was birthdays. I was short on time, so a quick card was in order for me. I chose some background paper from Kim Hughes' Mocha collection and started with this 4 1/4" square card.

My friend Pam was kind enough to stamp me a bunch of images with some Memento ink for me to try with my copics (love it!) and this was one called Crazy Cupcakes from Stampin'Up!

I didn't have a quote that fit this card so I handwrote it in and on the inside I stamped "It's Your Day" with a CTMH set.

Can't wait to see what everyone else has come up with this week. Make sure to check out there cards to the right under the icon "Blogger's Challenge" and if you care to join us, link it here, or any of our posts or on SCS with keyword BC84

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Baby Thank you's on parade

While making the round of baby thank you cards I decided to try the Friday Fun Challenge #18 from last week. I changed it up just a bit by not putting the 3 embellishments on the side.


Trying to stick with the theme of pinks and browns for the baby thank you's, pretty simple card that was easy to come together and is helping me perfect my sewing skills. If you need some tips on sewing, Jody has some awesome one's here. She has several tutorials that really helped me to make my sewing look better on my paper and STRAIGHT!!!!


Card details:
Stamp Set: Event Full by Stampin'Up, Much Appreciated by Stampin'Up
Inks: Copic markers, Basic Brown, Craft White
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! patterned paper, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Janome Sewing, Soft Subtles Brads

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Technostampers Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #54


Mary Jo sure knows how to challenge us!!! Once I got the layout going and cut all my layers, I love how it turned out! I'm making some baby thank you cards (no, not for me!). Hope my friend likes them when I give them to her. This week I'll be showcasing a few of them and although they may all look the same, they are different ;-)


I love this set from Rubber Soul called Baby. I love baby sets, doesn't matter who makes them!


Join us in the sketch challenge and post a link to Mary Jo's blog via Mr. Linky. Love to see what you come up with!


Card details:
Stamp Set: Baby by Rubber Soul
Inks: Copic markers, Versafine Onyx Black
Cardstock: Stampin' Up! patterned paper, Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Regal Rose
Accessories: Chit Chat Rub-ons, Janome Sewing, Oval & Circle Nestabilities, 5/8" chocolate grosgrain.
Stamp Sets


ETA: Guess it would help if I had the picture uploaded to post huh???

Saturday, January 24, 2009

I've been trying to get a little therapy stamping in each day. While the cards are simple, I'm enjoying using more of a variety and really need to participate more in the color challenges to get me using colors outside my norm.


For this card I kept with the theme of yesterday's card using Fantastical Floral by Unity Stamp Co. I started out with the Color Throwdown #26 Challenge (Kraft, Pink Passion, Basic Black) along with the Limelight Papercrafts Sketch/Stamp Challenge (use 2 different stamps). It also met the challenge FC25 using sewing on Embelllish-It online.


While I did stray a little with my prima flower (which is gray) the butterfly itself was colored with black refill so I just lighted it for the watercoloring.


Off to enjoy a night out with some friends tonight (kids included). Our friends' little guy is just over a month old and I can't wait to see how much he's grown.


Card Details:
Stamps: Fantastical Floral by Unity Stamp Co, Sentiment by Amuse Stamps
Cardstock: Kraft, Pink Passion, Basic Black, Whisper White
Inks: Versamark, Pink Passion Refill, Basic Black Refill, Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Primas, Janome Sewing, Copic marker (YG03) and Flower Brads by SU!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Blogger's Challenge #83

Wow! I tell you I'm ahead of the game. I had my Blogger's Challenge card done early this week...now to get working on next weeks one!


This week our challenge was to use Red, Black and Kiwi on our card. I think Kiwi and Old Olive are sodarnclosetoeachother that it's very hard to tell, but I did use Kiwi on my card. I just decided to use some of my DSP to coordinate with it.


I chose to use a layout I liked of Cindy Lawrence's. Her layouts and cards amaze me and I find that I go back to her blog and look at her stuff a lot.


Join us in the blogger's challenge this week and post a link here, or on any of the blogger's posts or on SCS using keyword BC83. Make sure to check out all the other participants here.


Card details:
Stamp Sets: Eastern Blossoms, Just Rite Stampers
Inks: Old Olive, Ruby Red
Cardstock: Kiwi Kiss, Basic Black, Ruby Red, Bella Rose DSP, Whisper White
Accessories: Large Pinking Nesties, Circle Nesties, Janome Sewing Machine, A Perfect Day Rub-ons, black brad

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Mojo Monday/Color Inspiration


For this card I combined Kristina's Color Inspiration Challenge #39 which was to use Real Red, Green Galore, So Saffron, Whisper White and Basic Black. I picked this floral image by Unity Stamps as I thought it would make for great flowers with these colors. I paper pieced the vase with some scraps from my Summer Picnic DSP.

I also decided to try Julee's Mojo Monday Challenge #70 and altered my card a little to make it a square 4.25 x 4.25. I *love* square cards!!! I think I could make these every time if I felt I wouldn't waste paper. The easy thing about standard card sizes and no wasted paper, 2 cards per sheet of cardstock.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! We have a light weekend going on (compared to other weekends) so I'm hoping one of the days to catch a decent nap!


Card Details:
Stamps: Fantastical Floral by Unity Stamps
Cardstock: Summer Picnic DSP, Basic Black, Green Galore, So Saffron, Papertrey White
Inks: Staz-on, Copic Markers
Accessories: Nestabilities

Blog Sherbert

Make sure you check out this link for some ADORABLE blog sherbert. Aren't these stamps just darling, I can't wait for their release!!!

Blog Sherbert

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Sue's Mystery Image Swap


Sue challenged us this month with her image- Boxer Penguin from Memory Box and she also sent us a cardfront of patterned paper to use on our card this month. I was definitely STUMPED with both the image and the patterned paper. I had come up with an idea and once I started with my card AND mounted my patterned paper down I decided it wasn't looking very good.


I improvised and tried a different approach with is okay. I'm not overly thrilled with the final outcome of it, but it will have to do. I colored the trunks of Boxer Penguin with my copic markers and layered him on my square nestabilities. I chose the coordinating colors of Not Quite Navy, Summer Sun, Garden Green and Real Red. I tried to jazz up my card a bit decorating the strip of Garden Green which I ran through the cuttlebug (tiny bubbles folder) with stickles. I also added some of the fire rhinestone brads to the flowers. I added a sentiment by Lockhart that I picked up on one of my trips to Maryland. Cracks me up every time I see it and will have to use it more.

I hope that my partner will like this card, it's not one of my best ones in my opinion, but it's not horrible either...is it???

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #53

Finally, some stamping time this weekend! I was able to get 4 cards done in a matter of hours LOL! I did have a good time though and loved my creations. I got ahead of the game and did one of my challenges for later in the week too. I hope to get some more time this week to keep on getting ahead on some of my challenges.


We had a fun day today, took my daughter to Babyland Hospital which is where Cabbage Patch Dolls are born. It was a lot of fun to see her running around looking at all the babies. We got her an expensive over the top cake this year in leiu of a big party. She chose this big princess castle cake in which I'll have leftovers for ages. Doesn't help me for the diet I'm trying to work on.


This is Mary Jo's Technostamper's Lunchtime Sketch Challenge and it was my 2nd card. I had an idea for another card, it didn't look right, so I remembered I had some chipboard and was happy with how this turned out. Simple, but still a great card.


Why don't you join in the fun and participate in Mary Jo's challenge with us? Check out her website and add your link to Mr. Linky or post to SCS with keyword TSSC53.



Card Details:
Stamp Set:Fantastical Floral by Unity (sentiment)
Cardstock: Kraft, Rose Red and Chocolate Chip, Basic Grey Urban Couture "Merino"
Inks: Rose Red, Basic Brown
Accessories: Chipboard, Large Pinking Nesties, Scor-It

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Blog Yummies Alert!



My friend Kerry is celebrating her 1 year Blogiversary with some blog yummies! Make sure to check out her blog to enter for the goodies! Here's the goodies she's giving away:

What are you waiting for??????????

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Six Chicks Sketch Challenge #12

I loved this sketch that Mandy had at Limelight and knew exactly what image I wanted to use with it. It didn't work with the traditional size card so I had to make it a little larger (7 1/4 x 4 1/4). I'll definitely use this layout again as it just came together so well and it's a simple card but I like it a lot.


I played with my new Copics although I don't have the colors I used at hand right now. I used the Core'dinations textured cardstock along with my basic black Stampin'Up! cardstock. I topped off my colored flowers with some stickles. The image I used is from one of the mystery image swaps I participated in awhile ago and still had a few extras laying around. The image is from Impression-Obsession. The sentiment is one of the rub-ons I've had from Stampin'Up!


I'm off for a few days for my Grandmother's Memorial Service but have a ton of ideas in my head for stamping when I come back home. I've already got some images put together that just need to be thrown on a card.


Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Clean & Simple Card

I was inspired to try one of Natasha's Clean & Simple Designs this week and while it took me about 3 days to do in between working & kids, I finally completed them. Now, if I had a free night, this would have been a breeze to do and one I will definitely use again.


I used two stamp sets I bought when I went shopping with some friends in MD on one of my trips up there (Gosh, they made me spend so much money with them!). I hadn't used either one yet and loved being able to use them. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor and absolutely loved this sentiment stamp when I saw it; I thought of my friend Rose & Kerry and knew they would appreciate it!


I also got the opportunity to start messing with my Copics. I still have a lot of work ahead of me but love the tutorials I've found on them. The more I play, the more I want :-) I need to hold off though as we are going on a cruise soon and we need to save some funds for that!


I actually created a set of 3 of these, 2 thank you's and 1 birthday card to add to my stash.


Card Details:
Stamps: Little Bird by Amuse, Rat's Ass by River City Rubber Works, Heartfelt Thanks by Stampin'Up!
Cardstock: Only Orange, Green Galore, Pink Passion, PP by Stampin'Up!
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Nestabilities

Monday, January 5, 2009

Technostamper's Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge #51

I was so EXCITED to receive my first copic order on Friday (only she delivered it hours before I discovered it). I'm hoping my 2nd order of them will be arriving this week (hopefully Wed).


I broke out a favorite simple stamp of mine by Stampotique- Marsye Carrier called Pretty Flowers. Figured this would make a great stamp to try out the copics on. I didn't have a wide range of colors yet and I forgot to photo which ones I used, but I like my first attempt. Of course I will need to play a LOT more to get some good coloring/shading skills with them, but I'm happy I took the plunge and bought a few.


Make sure to check out Mary Jo's post and join us in the challenge this week. Would love to see your take on the sketch!


Card details:
Stamp Set: Stampotique- Marsye Carrier called Pretty Flowers
Cardstock: Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Crate Sweet Branch Collection (Hope & Cherish), Papertrey white
Inks: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Nestabilities, Circle punches, pearls from Kaiser scrapbook


Thanks for checking my card out and have a Fabulous week!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Blogger's Challenge #50

This week our Blogger's Challenge was to use Chocolate Chip, Red and Baja Breeze. While I had a very difficult time envisioning this card, once I chose the patterned paper, I had it in my mind what to do and love how it turned out.


I made two of these cards as after I made the first one I didn't feel like it "popped" out enough, so I tried a different combination of the flowers and like the way the one to the right turned out.


The sketch of this card was based of Julee's Mojo Monday Sketch #67. Julee has fabulous sketches each week (watch out for her blog specifically for the sketches). I did eliminate one of the sentiments as I didn't think the first one stood out enough so will include it on the inside of my card on the othe one.


Make sure to check out all the other participants on my side bar to the right. Click on the Blogger's Challenge banner.


Card details:
Stamp Sets: Much appreciated (SU!), Jolies Fleurs (Lizzie Anne Designs)
Cardstock: Real Red, Baja Breeze, Very Vanilla, Au Chocolat
Inks: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Real Red ribbon, dimensionals, red stitching, brayer


Happy New Year!

I completed the Holiday Extravanganza Challenge on SCS today. I rang in 2009 stamping last night for a bit even though I only got 4 cards completed but I was playing pathwords on Facebook so that wasn't helping me. DISTRACTING AND ADDICTING!!!


I pulled out some scrap paper for this card, so I'm not sure who made the designer paper but I love the colors in it. It's the colors of my stamp room (office). I used a set I had yet to use but have had forever called Mocha Chica from one of my favorites, Kim Hughes Collection. She's got such cool designs.


I used some old olive, bordering blue, papertrey white with this card.


Hope you enjoy and have a healthy and prosperous 2009!

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