Secret Garden DSP

As I may have mentioned, it was cold, grey and dreary and I was craving bright and sunny.  I picked up one of my new stamp sets and set to work creating my own DSP.  I used bright, bold colors and selected a set with both solid and line stamps. 

Then, I cut it apart and used it to make cards. :o)

In this card, I used a Copic marker to color the bling so it would match the stamped images.

And, this card uses a variation on the stamped paper I used for the rest of the cards since I used Pumpkin Pie for the orange flower instead of Calypso Coral.

This card was made when I saw all the scraps lying on the desktop.  I fiddled with them a bit and this was the result.  :o)

This was truly a fun bunch of cards to make and I'm already thinking of how I could use that same stamp set with a different color scheme.  :o)

These cards us:

*Stamp Sets: "Secret Garden", "Friendly Phrases", "Sweet Essentials", "Bloomin' Marvelous"

*Inks: Calypso Coral, Real Red, Poppy Parade, Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Kiwi Kiss

*Paper: Whisper White

When Life Gives You Lemons...

So, if you're a regular reader of my other blog, you know I've been down and out a bit due to forces beyond my control.  When stressed, I like to hunker down and be creative. 

I was closing in on midnight but still had just one more idea bumping around in my head and I knew I needed to get it out so I could sleep. Anyone else have that problem?  The one where your creative ideas just keep thumbing and bumping around and won't let you rest?  No? It's just me?  Ah...well...hm.

I have long adored SU!'s "Tart and Tangy" stamp set (it's still one of my all time faves--and I'm not sure if it's because of the the citrus or the cherries...) and knew I could pull together a fairly quick card.

I pulled out my Daffodil Delight and Kiwi Kiss stamp pads and went right to work.  I know, the lighting and color is all off in those photos up there.  I'm sorry. 

I stamped a bunch of slices on a scrap sheet of white card stock and punched them out and then cut them in half and adhered them to the base using dimensionals.  I hit the second card with some vanilla Smooch Spritz before stamping because, hey, who doesn't like a little sparkle and sheen on their summery cards? :o)

I stamped the sentiment on the lower right and they were finished.  Easy peasy lemon squeezey.  (No pun intended, although, it really does work there, doesn't it? ;oP)

This card uses:

*Stamp Sets: "Tart and Tangy", "Friendly Phrases"
*Inks: Kiwi Kiss, Daffodil Delight (although, since I'm going to make this card again, I may go with the retired Summer Sun as it is a brighter, more summer-y color)
*Paper: Whisper White
*Accessories: Vanilla Smooch Spritz, dimensionals

--Rach

Poppies for Catherine

 As I've been working towards getting back in the stamping groove (and sticking to that New Year's goal!), I've been searching out challenge blogs to help me stretch my creative wings. 

I found Freshly Made Sketches (okay, so I've been lurking there for a while now) and decided to play along this week. 

 And, here's what I came up with. 

This beautiful stamp set arrived last week and I couldn't wait to play with it.  Of course, to me, the poppies were crying out for Poppy Parade.  I know it's an intense color, but I do so love it, and it does indeed work beautifully with the poppies. :o)

I stamped the image on a piece of watercolor paper using Staz-On.  I then used markers and water pens to color the image.  I added a lacy boarder to one edge, popped the image up on dimensionals and finished it off by adding the sentiment stamped on vellum. 

I've a friend who's been going through a difficult time and this will be perfect for her and her family to let them know we're here. 

--Rach

This card uses:
*Stamp Sets: Pleasant Poppies, Sweet Essentials
*Inks: Poppy Parade, Old Olive, black Staz-On
*Papers: Watercolor, Poppy Parade, Old Olive, vellum, Very Vanilla (inside)
*Accessories: pearls, dimensionals

A Baby Card for Sarah

My dear friend Sarah delivered her (not so) little man Tuesday and I'm overjoyed for her and her family.

I wanted to make the perfect card for them and knew at once I wanted to use my "Oh, Whale!" stamp set.  So, how chuffed was I when I saw this week's Paper Player's challenge was to create a CAS baby card with buttons and bows?

And, per the norm, I'm leaving it to the last possible moment to post my card here and to the challenge, but hey, at least it's done. ;o)

I typically have a layout in mind, but just wasn't sure how I wanted to use this cutie.  I toodled on over to CAS(E) this Sketch to look for a layout.  If you're a fan of CAS cards, this is a site you will want to visit!  There are wonderful sketches and super inspiration, and if I had managed to get off my patootie a bit sooner, I could have entered this card in the challenge. Oops.  This happens to me more often than I would like to admit...;oP

I had originally made the card using Basic Gray and Daffodil Delight, but it was missing something.  I realized the "something" was a Basic Gray layer and I had no Basic Gray card stock.  Drats.

So, I dropped back and punted and just love the results. :o)  Pool Party and Midnight Muse work so beautifully together! I popped the whale up on some dimensionals, added a small pearl for an eye, and three more below the sentiment because who doesn't like a bit of elegant bling?

Maybe someday I'll figure out how to take a non-crooked photo...

Inside I stamped the wave across the bottom (have I mentioned how much I love my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig?) and used the little die cuts from cutting the whale to create my ocean scene.  I added little eyes to make them "pop".  Besides, who doesn't love a little personality on their sea stars and fishies? :o)

And, here's a slightly more CAS version of the same card minus the buttons and baker's twine. 

This card uses:

*Stamp Sets: "Oh, Whale!", "Teeny Tiny Wishes"
*Inks: Pool Party, Midnight Muse
*Paper: Pool Party, Midnight Muse, Whisper White
*Accessories: pearls, dimensionals, Clearlits "Happy Whale", neutrals white flower buttons, white baker's twine

--Rach

Sweet One

The Paper Players challenge this week is to make a C & S baby card that includes buttons and bows. I found an old, old SU set that was free during Sale-A-Bration in about 2008 and used that stamp. Then, I located an old sheet of SU DSP that has no name that I can recall. ARGH! I used Whisper White satin ribbon and Whisper White buttons to complete the card.

Paper Players Challenge

A Challenging Color Challenge

Since my card making mojo has been slowly returning, I've had fun playing along with the Paper Players.  This week's challenge was a color challenge, and well, it pretty much stumped me for most of the week. 

Each of these colors is pretty intense in their own right, and to combine them would take some careful planning.  Typically color challenges are the easier challenge for me--not so this week.  :oS  I'm about to make a confession here that I know will have me whipped with wet noodles--I really don't like Summer Starfruit.  *ducks and covers and runs away*

I know so many folks who are absolutely enamored of the color, and I just can't get into it.  It just looks like a dingy, dirty yellow to me and typically I adore yellows.  This one just doesn't do it for me.  :oS  So when I saw it was one of the challenge colors, I knew I had to do this challenge since I've avoided this color like the plague.  

Finally, last night, inspiration struck and I managed to pull this together.  :o)

I just love my "Season of Friendship" stamp, and I have to say it doesn't see ink nearly often enough.  It's such a versatile set I don't know why I haven't.  Hm...Thinking out loud here, I can see doing a set of seasonal cards using this set...yes, yes, that's a plan...

At any rate, I'm happy with how this turned out.

And, here's the inside. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. Looooooooooooove it! I use it with practically every card I make these days.  I drew a light line across the bottom of the card and then another to mark the middle and used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (as much as I love to use it, it's a pain to type it out ;oP) to position the flowers and birds and then erased the line, leaving me with straight, (pretty much) evenly spaced elements. :o)

Now to add a sweet message and send some springtime greetings on to Sister Berenice.  :o)

--Rach

This card uses:
*Stamp Sets: "Season of Friendship", "Sweet Essentials"
*Inks: Chocolate Chip, Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse
*Papers: Whisper White, Summer Starfruit, vellum
 

Sympathy Card for Paper Players #131

The Paper Players challenge this week was to make a sympathy card. 

I find sympathy cards very difficult to make, especially when I need one.  It's going to be quite helpful to have a card on hand that I can simply pull out and write a message in and address, rather than struggling to create a card in the midst of my sadness for my friend.

I knew I wanted to create something soft and subtle so I began pulling out my sets that had leaves, trees and flowers.  I loved the negative space in this leaf and knew it would be lovely heat embossed in gold. 

My next challenge was finding a color to work with the gold that wouldn't be jarring or too bright.  I tried a couple of neutral colors, but found I needed the darker contrast of the Always Artichoke to compliment the gold. 

I also knew I wanted quite a bit of white space, but wanted it textured.  I pulled out a Cuttlebug embossing folder that mirrored the organic quality of the leaf and it worked. :o)

Finally, I stamped the sentiment from "Thoughts and Prayers" on a piece of vellum and adhered it using two glue dots. 

I have found this is a fall-to layout for me of late--I seem stuck in a rut.  Oops!

And, the inside.  I stamped the same leaf in the center using VersaMark Dazzle in Champagne and then stamped the sentiment over that in Always Artichoke. 

I sincerely hope I don't have any cause to use this card anytime soon, but it's comforting to know I'll have it on hand if I do need it.


--Rach


This card uses:


*Stamp Sets: "Autumn" (retired), "Thoughts and Prayers"
*Papers: Always Artichoke, Whisper White, Vellum
*Inks: VersaMark Dazzle Champagne, Always Artichoke
*Accessories: Cuttlebug embossing folder

Thoughts and Prayers

It is always good to have a sympathy card on hand and this week that was the Paper Players' challenge. So, I decided to try my hand at making a card that I can use when the occasion arises. The overall size of the card is 5" x 5".

Here's what I used:

Papers:
Parisienne Breeze
Chocolate Chip
Baja Breeze
Whisper White

Stamp Set:
Thoughts and Prayers

Ribbon:
Baja Breeze

--Lissie

Inspired Birthday

First off, I have to say how utterly chuffed I was to find my "Blowing Kisses" bunny baby card was selected by Nance as a "Cut Above" in last week's Paper Players challenge!  Thank you so much, Nance!  It's been so long since I've stamped or entered a challenge and to have my card selected was such a delightful surprise!

So, I needed a birthday card for Brien's grandma's husband (B's step-grandpa?) and had no idea what I wanted to do.  Masculine cards are a HUGE challenge for me (and I have to say, this one is most likely still a little to fru fru for a "guy card"), so I thought I'd see what the Paper Players were up to this week in an attempt to find some inspiration.

I was inspired, all right...it was a sketch challenge and I really struggled with it.  But, that's the point of challenges, right? To oh, I don't know, challenge yourself?? Hm.

Looking at the sketch, I saw the "Inspired by Nature" stamp set in my mind's eye and decided to see how I could make it work. 

This is the sketch. 

I turned it on its side and used the sentiment (and the scoring on the Chocolate Chip card base) as the vertical element.  Can you still see the bones of the sketch in the bones?

I have always loved using Summer Sun on the cone flowers, but it was a bit intense for this card.  So, I used More Mustard, then stamped off, then went over the flowers again with the Summer Sun marker, thereby toning down the intensity somewhat. Then, I stamped off the main image to make it softer. 

It's a sunny, happy card and I hope it makes Bill smile when he sees it. :o)

--Rach

This card uses:

*Stamp Sets: "Inspired by Nature", "Wonderful Words"
*Paper: Crushed Curry textured card stock, Whisper White, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip, vellum
*Inks: More Mustard, Summer Sun, Garden Green and Chocolate Chip Markers