Same Layout - Three Cards

My mom is so thoughtful.  Whenever she gets a hand crafted card or a card with a particularly good layout, she makes sure to show it to me in case it's something I'd like to try.  I really liked one of her recent cards, so I re-worked it with current Stampin' Up products and here are the results.  We'll be making the first one in my class at the end of the month (5/28 and 5/29).

 I absolutely love French Foliage and cannot believe it is retiring!  I've also become quite fond of Friendly Phrases, which is also retiring.  I will definitely miss both!

This was actually the third card I made with this layout.  I left the ribbon off because I thought with the Fall colors I could use it for a man.  Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with masculine cards, so I'm glad to have one ready to go.

 Here's the French Foliage card in Spring colors:

Here are the insides of the cards.  I'll probably add a sentiment before sending, but I'll wait until I know who I'm sending the card to and the situation before deciding.

 Supplies Used:

Stamps:  Bright Blossoms (top card), French Foliage (bottom two cards; retiring), Friendly Phrases (top and bottom card; retiring), Teeny Tiny Wishes (middle card)

Punches:  Square Scallop Punch (retiring), Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, Owl Punch (circle in top card), Scallop Edge Border Punch

Ribbon:  Rich Razzleberry 1/4" grosgrain (top card, retired, but available as Stitched Grosgrain), Daffodil Delight 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (bottom card, retiring, 25% off!)

Accessory:  Basic Rhinestones (top card)

Colors:  all use Whisper White

Top Card:  Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Rich Razzleberry

Middle Card:  Crushed Curry (returning color), Soft Suede, Cajun Craze

Bottom Card:  Certainly Celery (retiring), Bashful Blue (retiring), Daffodil Delight, plus green inks Gumball Green, Garden Green, Old Olive

To see other cards made with these products, click on the respective label at the bottom of this post.  If you are getting this in your e-mail, you'll have to go to my blog to see the labels.

Note:  just because there's not a label doesn't mean there aren't other cards using a particular product.  It just means I didn't label it.

The Bashful Blue card also work for this week's LNS Challenge, say goodbye to our retiring colors.  My time as a guest designer may be over, but it's still fun to play along.

TSSC 262 Friendly Phrases

Here's my sample for this week's Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge.  I love the Designer Series Paper, Floral District, which is not only retiring, but is 25% off.  The stamp is from Friendly Phrases, which is also retiring.

Edit 5/10 - I replaced the scanned image with a photo.  The colors still don't look as bright as in person, but you can see the whole card this way.
I used the scanner again this week and didn't realize how washed out the colors look until I uploaded it.  The colors are so much more vibrant in person!  If you've seen Lucky Limeade or Tangerine Tango, you know what I mean.  Plus, it's kind of hard to see, but the card is on a Whisper White base.  Guess I need to go back to the camera.

 Here is this week's sketch:

You can check out the rest of the design team's samples and link your entry here.  I hope you'll play along this week.

I searched on Floral District and found I'd made several cards with this great DSP.  The search button is on the right hand side (right under where you sign up for e-mail updates) if you want to try it yourself.

You can see projects made with Friendly Phrases here. 

 Edit 5/6/13, 12:09pm:  I just saw that this matches the theme of the LNS challenge this week, so I will enter it over there, too.  I was planning to enter the challenge, once I saw what it was.  My time as a guest designer has ended, but I still plan to play along when I can.

Chalkboard Graduation Card (LNS Challenge 221)

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this week is to create a celebration card: 

This week we want you to create a card, scrapbook page, 3D item, or anything else you can think.  For instance: Graduation is coming up so make a graduation card/ gift card holder/ scrapbook page.

I chose graduation since I have a daughter graduating this year.

I've been wanting to try the Chalkboard technique for a while and decided graduating from school, where they use chalkboards, was a good start.  Most of the stamps are from Pure Gumption.  The banner and numbers for the year are from Designer Typeset.  It's the first time I've used the new photopolymer stamps from Stampin' Up!   Turns out I like them.  They are much better than the acrylic stamps I tried years ago.  You can see some cute samples that I re-posted from the Stampin' Up! blog here.  The stamp inside the banner (congrats GRAD) is from Blue Ribbon.

I made the chalkboard frame by dry embossing the card front with my Big Shot and the Woodgrain Embossing Folder.  Then I used my SU! Paper Trimmer* to cut out the inside rectangle.  That way the chalkboard is actually framed (as opposed to just taping it on top).  I love using the Paper Trimmer for tasks like this because I can use the built in ruler to see exactly where to put down and lift up my blade.  Plus, it gives me much more control than a craft knife (with which I can never cut straight).

Thanks for stopping by my blog to check out my take on this week's challenge.  You can see the rest of the design team samples and link your own entry at the Late Night Stampers Challenge site.  Hope you'll play along.

*Features of the SU! Paper Trimmer:

A cutting and scoring tool made with crafters in mind!

· Cutting and scoring.  Cut anywhere, in any direction.  Full 12" cut or score.
Keep scoring and cutting blades on the track at the same time.

Includes:
1 cutting blade and 1 scoring blade.
· Measuring. Extended 6-1/4" base. Extend ruler to 15-1/2".
· Storing. Compartment under base to store blades, scoring stylus, more!

TSSC 260 and LNS 220 (My Digital Studio Card and Scrapbook Layout)

The Late Night Stampers Challenge (LNS) this week is:  Switcheroo -- take a scrapbook layout you've seen and turn it into a card, or vice versa! 3D projects still welcome using a card OR scrapbook
                  page as your inspiration.

I knew this challenge was perfect for My Digital Studio because of its option to change the project type.  After seeing the sketch for Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge (TSSC), I decided to make a card first.  I could have used a card or scrapbook page I already had for the LNS Challenge and then switch it to the other, but I thought the TSSC sketch would convert well to a scrapbook layout.

Here's the TSSC 260 card:

 I added the sentiment in the bottom left because my card seemed a little plain.

Here's the sketch for this week:

I used the option under Edit in MDS that says "Change Project Size/Type..." to change the card to an 8 1/2" by 11" scrapbook page.  I narrowed the dsp strip and made the flower (and the card stock it's mounted on) smaller.  Then I decided to make a two page layout, so under Insert, I chose "Insert Duplicate Page Mirrored".  If I had been planning ahead, I would have added the photo boxes before doing this step.  I flipped around the dsp square and the box with the flower.  Then I changed the flower to a title for the page.  After that, I just added pictures.

My Digital Studio is so versatile, which is why Stampin' Up! calls it a digital paper crafting program, not just digital scrapbooking.  Today I showed you how easy it is to take one project you've made and change it to another.  To see all of the great My Digital Studio products, including the program itself, digital downloads and how to get a free trial, see here.

I hope you'll give one or both challenges a try this week.  You can enter and see the design team samples at the respective locations:

Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge 260

Late Night Stampers 220

Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge 259 and Late Night Stampers 219 (Four Frames)

Good Morning!  I combined challenges again this week.  Last week when I saw the challenges, nothing came to mind and I just had to start creating to come up with something.  Well, this week was just the opposite.  As soon as I saw the challenges, an idea popped into my head right away.  The only thing I had to do was decide on the colors.  Isn't that funny how my reaction to seeing the challenges was so totally opposite?  Just goes to show - you can't control the creative process.

So, here's my card:

 

Edit 4/16/13 - You may notice this card is slightly different than the one on the challenge sites.  Something about it just didn't seem quite right.  I looked at the sketch again and moved the Decorative Label punched element to the left. 

 

Did you notice I used one of the returning colors?  I paired Blushing Bride, which will be available in the new catalog, with Pool Party.  The 2010 In Color Designer Series Paper Patterns Pack, which I used on this card, is available on the Clearance Rack now.  I used a card from the Note Card and Envelope pack  to match the shape of the TSSC sketch.

The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and was stamped inside a stamp from Four Frames, which was punched out with the Decorative Label Punch.  The vertical strip was punched with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.  The flowers were punched with one of the punches in the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.  I used my stylus (that came with my Simply Scored) and my Stampin' Pierce Mat to give the flowers some dimension*.  Because they weren't flat, I used glue dots to adhere them.  I put a Basic Pearl in the center of each.

Here's the Techno Stamper sketch:

The Late Night Stamper Challenge this week is Paired with a Punch.  This week we are creating samples using stamp sets that have a matching punch!  What a fun one this is going to be.

I hope you'll play along this week.  You can see the other design team challenges and link your entries here:

Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge

Late Night Stampers Sketch Challenge

Thanks for stopping by my blog and checking out this week's challenges!

*See more flowers that I've given dimension using a stylus here (gave texture and dimension all over) and here (scroll down in post to second card - gave texture to center, which raised the outside petals).  The flowers on today's card were done in a similar manner.  I pressed my stylus in a small circle around the center of the flower, which raised the outside edges.

TSSC258 And LNS 218 - Amazing Family

Here's my card for this week's Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge and Late Night Stampers Challenge:

 

I guess I'm in a Floral Frames Framelits mood.  I didn't even think about/remember that I used them for last week's TSSChallenge.  But, as I started putting this card together, they just seemed right for it.  I started with no ideas - except the colors (for LNS) and the sketch (for TSSC).  Then I just started adding elements.  I am pretty sure I never would have come up with this card on my own, which as I've said before, is the fun of challenges.

 Edit 4/9/13 - If you are wondering about the stamp, I used Stampin' Write markers to color the words.  The stamp itself, which is from Amazing Family, says YOU'RE SUCH AN AMAZING.  The set has several stamps with family words - Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, and Friend - which you can put after the Amazing stamp (so you get YOU'RE SUCH AN AMAZING MOTHER).  But by using the markers I could just color the two words and get YOU'RE AMAZING.

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this week is a color challenge.  Use Summer Starfruit, Raspberry Ripple, and Old Olive on a project.

Here's the sketch for the Techno Stamper (aka Monday Lunchtime) Sketch Challenge:

You might have seen the challenges and had an idea -- or two, because they are separate challenges.  You don't have to incorporate both into one project.  But, if you're like I was and draw a blank, don't let that stop you from playing along.  Just start designing with the colors and/or the sketch in mind.  You never know what you might come up with!

You can see the other design team samples and link your entries at the following locations.  I'm looking forward to seeing what you make.

Late Night Stampers Challenge 218

Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge 258

Recipe:

Stamps:  Amazing Family

Big Shot:  Floral Frames Framelits, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Square Lattice Embossing Folder

Card stock:  Summer Starfruit, Raspberry Ripple, Old Olive, Whisper White

Ink:  Raspberry Ripple, Old Olive

Accessories:  Brights Buttons, White Baker's Twine

LNS Challenge 217 (Blue Ribbon, Amazing Family)

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this week was to create something inspired by candy.  Here's my card:

 This is a close up of the ribbon:

I stamped the ribbon from the Stampin' Up! set, Blue Ribbon, on Silver Glimmer paper.  The stamped image didn't show up very well, so I colored it with Night of Navy.  Since I was coloring, I cheated and punched out the ribbon top with the XL Scallop Circle punch rather than cut it out by hand.  It's hard to tell, but it really makes a pretty, sparkly blue for the ribbon.  Next time, though, instead of stamping I think I'll just use the punch and leave it silver.  The ink did not dry quickly and so I ended up with Night of Navy all over my hands.  Even though I washed my hands frequently, I still kept getting it on me and eventually smudged my card.  It wasn't all bad.  I ended up sponging the card with Night of Navy and Silver which carries on the slightly grunge look of the Blue Ribbon set.  The silver doesn't show up much in the picture, but I like the way it mixes with the Night of Navy.  I colored the "1" with the Silver Stampin' Dazzle Marker.

Can you guess what candy inspired this card?  A York Peppermint Patty wrapper.  The blue seemed darker on the wrapper (empty of course, because I had to eat the candy for inspiration, lol) in my craft room.  But that could be because I only had the overhead light on and not the brighter one on my craft table.

You can see the rest of the design team samples and link your entry here.  Hope you'll play along this week!

LNS Challenge (3-D Carrot Treat Holder)

This week's Late Night Stampers Challenge is to make a 3-D object.  My submission is a carrot treat holder made with the Petal Cone Die.

Here it is empty:

 And here it is with some candy tucked into it:

While the idea of a challenge is to create a new item so that you "challenge" yourself to try something different, this project was actually made a little while ago.  I knew 3-D items would be an upcoming theme (a benefit of being a guest designer) so I went ahead and created it early so my club could make it in time for Easter.  Some of the stampers (me included) are planning to make these as table favors for Easter dinner.

To make, use the Big Shot to cut one Petal Cone in Tangerine Tango.  Run it through the Big Shot in the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.  I actually ran it through twice so that the polka dots were still sticking up when I folded down the round flap at the top, but this is not necessary if you don't mind the dots at the top being debossed (dipping in rather than poking up).  Assemble the Petal Cone die cut (fold over and use Sticky Strip to adhere flap to back).  Fold front semi-circle down and tack with adhesive.  Leave back semi-circle up.  Cut a Lucky Limeade scallop semi-circle from the Petal Cone die.  Run it through the Big Shot with the Vine Street Embossing Folder to make it look leafy like a carrot top.  Attach the scallop sem-circle to the Petal Cone carrot as shown.

Stamp the polka dot image from Four Frames onto Whisper White cardstock.  Punch out with the Decorative Label Punch.  Use the Happy Easter stamp from Teeny Tiny Wishes to add the sentiment and then add three Basic Rhinestones under it.  Attach punched piece to carrot.  Add desired treat and you're done.

Supplies used:

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Wishes, Four Frames
Big Shot:  Petal Cone Die, Vine Street Embossing Folder, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder
Punch:  Decorative Label Punch
Embellishments:  Basic Rhinestones
Cardstock:  Tangerine Tango, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White
Ink:  Tangerine Tango, Lucky Limeade

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Don't forget to check out the rest of the design team samples here.  Then, create your own 3-D item and link it to the challenge.

Edit 4/2/13:  I am excited to announce that my project was featured on Blog Finds of the Day by Kelly Mayou.  This is a wonderful resource for finding some great ideas.  You can check out her blog here:  http://blogfindsoftheday.blogspot.com/

Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge 255 and LNS Challenge 215 (Curly Label Birthday)

I combined both my design team challenges this week.  I didn't start out with that intention, but that's how it worked out.  Check back tomorrow to see where I was originally heading with the TSSC (Monday Lunchtime) challenge.

Here is this week's Techno Stamper Monday Lunchtime Sketch:

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this week is:  Goodbye to Sale-a-Bration - use your favorite SAB set/items

Here is my card:

I used the following Sale-a-Bration items:  Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper, buttons, and ribbon; Petite Curly Label punch; Pretty Petites stamp set (top stamp).

The middle stamp is from the hostess set Priority Mail and is punched with the Curly Label punch.

The bottom stamp is from 25 and Counting.  I wanted more candles to go with the other stamps and this worked perfectly once it was punched with the Petite Curly Label punch.

Cardstock colors are:  Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo

Thanks for looking at my design team sample.  You can check out the other design team members samples and upload your entries here (just click challenge name):

Late Night Stamper (LNS) Challenge
Techno Stamper Monday Lunchtime Challenge

Bow Tie Card (LNS Challenge 214)

The Late Night Stamper Challenge this week is:

Challenge 214 - Masculine Cards

Here's my design team sample.  It's a bow tie card for a young man whose birthday is today.  Hope he has a very Happy Birthday!

 

This card uses a lot of retired products, but sometimes that's just the way it goes when you have something specific in mind.   The bow tie was made with two triangles and a small rectangle. I rounded all the edges.  It would be very easy to make a bow tie with the Petite Pennants Punch.  But since I wanted my bow tie to be bigger, I had to cut out the triangles using my paper cutter.  The Designer Series Paper is Manchester.

 

The stamp on the front is from Happiest Birthday Wishes.  I also made a mini bow tie for the inside corner.

 

Thanks for stopping by my blog today and checking out my design team sample for the LNS Challenge.  You can go to the LNS Challenge Blog to see the rest of the design team samples and to link your own entry.

Late Night Stampers and Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenges

Good Morning Stampers!  This week I doubled up on my design team challenges again.  This sketch went together so easily.  I can see me going back to it when I need a card in a hurry.  Longest part?  I couldn't find the stamp set I wanted to use for the inside.

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this  week is:

Spring is in the air - use some of your flower stamps!
(I used Designer Series Paper with flowers, instead of stamps, on the front but I think it still qualifies.  Just in case, I did use a flower stamp on the inside.  Besides, while I tend to take challenges somewhat literally, they really are meant to challenge you in an effort to expand your creativity.  And once the creativity starts flowing, who knows where you'll end up?) 

Here's the sketch for the Techno Stamper (aka Monday Lunchtime) Sketch Challenge:

And here's my card.   I couldn't get rid of the shadows.  I tried.  I probably took 10 pictures and the only one without shadows was all washed out.  This is a compromise - not quite as bright as in real life, but the shadows aren't too bad.

The card is 4" square.  I used the Bitty Banners Framelits so that my banners would match.  It helped that they were just the size I wanted.

 Here's the inside of the card:

Stamps:  Vintage Vogue, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Designer Series Paper:  Floral District

Card Stock:  Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink:  Tangerine Tango

Big Shot:   Bitty Banners Framelits, Butterfly Embosslits

Now that you've seen my sample, why not create your own challenge entries?  You can see the rest of the design team samples and link your project by following these links:

Techno Stamper/Monday Lunchtime Challenge
LNS Challenge

Late Night Stampers Challenge 212 (Spring Sampler)

The Late Night Stampers Challenge this week is:  Celebrate St. Patrick's Day - make a card with green on it.

Here is my sample:

The shamrock is made using the heart stamp from Spring Sampler.  I just stamped three of them.  Then I used my Stampin' Write marker to draw a stem, color over the flowers on the hearts, and outline the hearts.  The greeting is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and the little burst on the Whisper White strip is from Pennant Parade.  The Designer Series Paper is from the Patterns Stack - Lucky Limeade.

Be sure to check out the samples from the rest of the design team and add your entry here.

 

Late Night Stampers and Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenges (Patterned Party)

I doubled up my challenges again this week.  I am on the design team for the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge (aka Techno Stamper Sketch Challenge) and I am a guest designer for the Late Night Stampers Challenge.  Since both challenges start on Monday, it's kind of fun to try to incorporate both challenges in one card.

Here's the Monday Lunchtime Sketch for this week.

Here's the Late Night Stampers Challenge:

Happy Birthday! --lets make some Birthday projects

And here's my card for this week:

Stamps:  Patterned Party, Pennant Parade, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Colors:  Island Indigo, Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, and Whisper White

Big Shot:  Top Note

Punches:  Modern Label, Curly Label, 1" Circle

Ribbon:  1/4" Stitched Grosgrain (Daffodil Delight)

Double Challenge (Madison Avenue)

This week I doubled up on my design team challenges - a challenge in itself.  I incorporated both challenges in one card.

The Late Night Stampers Challenge is:

Still Sale-A-Brating!  By now you should have at least one SAB freebie, lets see what you can do with it!  My card has three Sale-a-Bration items on it.

And here is this week's sketch from the Monday Lunchtime Sketch Challenge (aka Technostamper Sketch Challenge - TSSC250):

Here's my card for this week:

The Sale-a-Bration items are:  Vine Street embossing folder, Sycamore Street buttons and the Madison Avenue stamp set.

Colors are:  Lucky Limeade, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, and Whisper White

I tied Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine in the the button.

And just for kicks, I took my card and changed it up a bit.   This one has a little different color scheme and the Pool Party strip is embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

 I really changed the colors around on this card.  I left the polka dots and added some Pool Party Sycamore Street ribbon.  Instead of using Baker's Twine on the Sycamore Street button, I used the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack for the center.

This card doesn't follow the sketch, but it was inspired by it and by the cards I'd already made.  As I've said before, that's one of the things I enjoy about sketch challenges.  They spark my creativity and I never know what I'll end up making.  I was going for a single layer card.

 So now that you've seen my card for this week's challenges, why not go check out the samples from the other design team members and create your own card(s) to enter?

Late Night Stampers Challenge 209 - Amazing Family

I am very excited and honored to announce that I have been asked to be a guest designer for the Late Night Stampers (LNS) weekly challenge.  Thanks so much for asking me!  I've played along with this challenge several times in the past so you may have seen posts referring to the LNS challenge.  I invite all of you to check out the creative samples made by the design team and also to play along yourself.

This week's theme is Feeling Blue--make a sample with blue as your main color.  Here's what I created:

My sister is also my friend, so it seemed appropriate to put the two together.  The ampersand came from Lovely Letters.  I saw something recently (I think in our demo magazine from Stampin' Up) about using the ampersand from alphabet sets.  That may have helped spark the idea for this card.  I added the butterflies from the Butterfly Embosslits to go with the butterflies on the designer series paper from Patio Party.  I added a rhinestone on bottom image for a little sparkle.  Ink colors are Pool Party and Midnight Muse.

I'm so pleased to be a part of this talented group of stampers.  I hope you enjoy seeing my samples each week.