Stampin' Celebration Challenge #45

I decided to participate again, in this week's Stampin' Celebration Challenge :-). I rarely do black and white cards, actually, I rarely use black at all. I'm not really sure why I don't use black all that much because it really adds elegance to everything. From the challenge photo, I chose as my main focus, the cake with the black and white flowers and the black line around the cake. The flowers on the cake have black stamens and black centers. To give the illusion of the stamens, I stamped only the bottom part of medium flower petal in the Build a Blossom set. I punched out the petal shape with the corresponding Blossom Petals punch. Since the colors in the overall challenge photo uses neutral colors, I inked the edges of my flower petals with Crumb Cake. 

I used swirls behind my flower because there are swirls on the candy and on the tablecloth in the challenge photo. For the inside of the card, I stuck with the clean lines from the cake. I punched the corners and added a 1/4" strip of black. Later, I can add some elements to the left of the black line and add a sentiment or a hand written note to the right of the black line.

I'm glad that I participated in this challenge because it gave me a chance to use a color that I hardly ever use. Maybe I will start using black more often :-D. I hope everyone's week is off to a wonderful start and that the rest of your week is blessed! See you tomorrow!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Whisper White-100730, Basic Black-121045

Classic Stampin' Ink: Crumb Cake-121030

Stampin' Write Marker: Basic Black-100082

Stamps: Build a Blossom-121994, Teeny Tiny Wishes-115370

Punches: Blossom Petals-121808, 3/4" Circle-119873

Dies: Swirls Scribbles-113441

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Perfect Polka Dots-117335

The Paper Players Challenge

Sometimes I like to participate in challenges. It helps to make you think a little differently when you're creating within a 'specific' framework, so I have three challenge cards that I did yesterday. This one today is for The Paper Players Challenge and is Challenge #39.

It looks fairly masculine to me :-). Have a great day everyone!!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:
Paper: Night of Navy-100867, Crumb Cake-120953, Very Vanilla-101650, Cherry Cobbler Textured-119690

Classic Stampin' Ink: Night of Navy-102977, Crumb Cake-121030

Stamps: Sense of Time-113804, Whimsical Words- 119119 (retired SAB 2010)

Punches: 1 3/4" Scallop Circle-119854

Easter Egg Flower?

I love it when my daughter meanders into my stamping room. She sees things that I usually don't and the card below was her observation when she first saw the Easter Egg stamp in the Easter Blossoms stamp set. What she saw in the Easter Egg was a flower petal and she asked me if she could try to stamp one. "Sure!", I said 

:-). Her stamped little flower ended up on this card....

And then she made a couple of cards herself :-). I've been encouraging her here and there to make some cards or to scrap some pages, but she is a busy skater so she hasn't really shown any interest in doing so....until now :-). In the first card below, she used one of the flowers from Greenhouse Garden to make fireworks...

In her next card, she again used the egg from Easter Blossoms to create another flower, a tulip...

It was really nice to see her get back to my stamping room and do some stamping. It will probably be a while before she goes back there again though, so I have to enjoy and encourage those little moments when they come :-D.

My Happy Birthday card has been submitted as a challenge card on SUO Challenges this week. If you like to do challenges, then head on over :-). 

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Certainly Celery- 105125, So Saffron- 105118, Wild Wasabi- 108641, Whisper White- 100730

Classic Stampin' Ink: Tempting Turquoise- 100814

Stamps: Easter Blossoms- 122057 clear mount, retired sentiment used

Dies: Birds & Blooms- 113485, Sweet Buttons embosslit- 121813

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Framed Tulips- 121809

Strength & Hope

It saddens me to report that we know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. My husband has a golfing friend whose girlfriend found a lump in her breast recently and by the next day it had increased in size. I don't know all the specifics, but they were told that it is a very rare and very aggressive form of breast cancer. I don't know her personally, but I do know my husband's golfing buddy and he is so heart broken and so frightened. They are both frightened and understandably so. Of course, our hearts and prayers are with them until she is well. In the meantime, since she was going to start chemotherapy this past Monday, I wanted to make something that she could keep with her in her purse that will hopefully be an encouragement to her. I don't talk about my beliefs much on my blog, but today I am. I believe that the Word of God is alive, active, and powerful. Isaiah 55:11 states:  "so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." It is my heartfelt prayer, that not only will she be a survivor, but that the scriptures in her book will indeed become life to her, comfort to her, and help to bolster her faith. I stayed up late on Saturday night finishing the book up so my husband could get it to her on Sunday. I stayed away because I am still sick, better, but not 100% yet, and I did not want to compromise her since I know that chemotherapy weakens the immune system. Her boyfriend, Jim, told my husband that she was planning to take it with her on Monday for her first chemotherapy treatment. I am posting the book I made for her so that if you know of someone who might be encouraged by one, you  can make one for them too. 

Card made with Strength & Hope stamp set 

Inside of the card

Cover of the Book using Strength & Hope

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

I used Pretty in Pink and Very Vanilla as my base on both the card and the book. The color scheme is a tetrad on the color wheel: Pink, yellow, green, and purple. I used a lot of different things to create this book, so I'm not going to list the supplies because it would be an incredibly long list and because the book is now in Laura's hands so I would have to guess as to what specific color I used where. I stayed within the tetrad though, throughout the book. I printed the scriptures out on Very Vanilla and trimmed to size. I used a lot of flowers and butterflies because I wanted her to have the feeling that she is walking through a flower garden. I have no idea why, but that was what was in my heart for her. If you pray, I know that Jim and Laura would both appreciate your prayers for them during this time and your prayers too for her health to be restored. 

Just a reminder that the stamp set Strength & Hope will be available in the new Summer Mini starting on May 1st and is shown on page 27. Please consider purchasing this set as for every set purchased Stampin' Up! will donate $2.00 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. There will also be a digital version of the stamp set with digital papers available for My Digital Studio. $2.00 of each purchase of the Strength & Hope digital kit for My Digital Studio will also be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Blessings!

Barb

A Really Good Cause...

This is a sneak peek of a new stamp set that is coming in the Summer Mini- Strength & Hope. Not only is it a beautiful set, but $2.00 from the purchase of each set will go to Breast Cancer Research. There will also be a digital kit available for My Digital Studio with the digital version of this stamp set, but also includes some very pretty digital papers. $2.00 from each purchase of the digital kit will also go to Breast Cancer Research.

Butterfly, Hope, and the words in the center are part of the Strength & Hope set

The flourish at the bottom is the fourth stamp in the Strength & Hope set

If you know someone who has breast cancer, and you would like to give them this card, I will send the card and the matching envelope to the first person who leaves a comment that she/he would like to have this card. 

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

Classic Stampin' Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose

Stamps: Strength & Hope, Occasional Quotes

Punches: 1.25" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle

Textured Impressions embossing folder: Vintage Wallpaper

Other: Pretty in Pink grosgrain ribbon, pink embroidery floss

Easter Eggs

This is a quick to make Easter card :). We had six inches of snow last week so, in rebellion to winter, I used bright springy colors :-D. The eggs are stamped, then cut out, and popped up on dimensionals.

I am writing these and scheduling them to post ahead of time, but while I'm writing, I'm still sick- ick! So please excuse my lack of chattiness (is that even a word?). Thank you for stopping by and have a great day!!!

Blessings!
Barb

Stampin' Celebration Challenge

I guess that being cooped up in the house sick, isn't all that bad when you have time to surf blogs :-). I went to visit Allison's blog this afternoon and she has a challenge photo posted from Stampin' Celebration. I clicked on it to check it out and the napkin ring in the photo totally 'intrigued' me. Hmmmm, intrigued by a napkin ring... do ya' think I'm getting bored hanging out at home for a week straight? I used the Lattice die to cut out the vine part of the napkin ring in the photo inspiration and cut out the center with scissors. It was a matter of punching out a bunch of leaves from a heart punch and then punching out some blossoms, inking their edges, and then gluing the whole thing together. I wish I had inked the leaves too, but I just didn't think of it before I glued :-(. Sigh. There were some really pretty, round amber glass beads, mixed into the vine and the leaves in the napkin ring, so I added some amber rhinestones too.

Okay, so card front done, what to do about the sentiment.... Looked at the photo again and in another part of the photo is a little soap box with script writing in brown. Ah Hah! Looked through all my sentiments to find a script one and the right size font to fit onto my die cut. Found one! It just happened to be a wedding sentiment and wouldn't you know it? A gal in my women's Bible Study JUST got married! Ha! A happy camper am I!

Now on to the inside of the card. This is one of my favorite marriage sentiments, so I stamped it in Early Espresso. It needed something else though, so I added the little stamp in the corner and it happens that it's a pretty good match for the front. What a great day! I watercolored it with some ink and a blender pen with colors that match the wreath on the front of the card.

Oh my gosh, I am suddenly starving! I think I'm starting to feel better. My ears have been popping all day and my husband thinks that it's because this stuff is starting to break up. Gotta love the doctor for giving me some awesome anti-biotics :-D. They are the size of horse pills and a high dose so I guess they are doing their job. Maybe this hacky cough will be gone tomorrow! I have barely eaten all week, I think I'm gonna head into the kitchen :-D. Have a great day!

Blessings!

Barb  

PS- I have posts scheduled clear into next week and I was sick in bed when I was writing them up, so if you read that I feel really icky- please disregard. I do feel better right now, so it should be uphill from here :-).

Supplies:

Paper: Pear Pizzazz-119795, Very Vanilla-101650, More Mustard-100946, Old Olive-100702, Soft Suede-115318

Classic Stampin' Ink: More Mustard-103162, Early Espresso-119670

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes-115370, Gods' Blessings-114972, Sweet Summer-123214

Punches: Modern Label-119849, Heart to Heart-119881, Ticket Corner-119867, Trio Flowers- retired :-(

Dies: Lattice-115958, Lots of Tags-114508, Beautiful Wings-118138

Textured Impressions embossing folder: Vintage Wallpaper-120175

Other: 1/4" circle punch, amber rhinestones

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Will ya' be sportin' a bit o' the green today? I woke up this morning to my daughter wearing her shamrock tee shirt, an Irish penny necklace, rainbow earrings, and her green and white with shamrocks argyle socks :). We are Irish, can you tell :-D ? I used  Mojo Monday sketch #181 this week for my card below...

I am still sick and I think, as sick or slightly more sick, than I was over the weekend. My hubby was worried about me so he called our doctor yesterday and told him all my symptoms. I have been through three boxes of Puff's Tissues in two days! The doctor called in a prescription for me so I am hoping for improvement in the next day or so. I really don't like being sick :(. But I'm thankful for my hubby who loves me and watches out for me. He felt that I should have been better after just a couple of days and he even rescheduled an out of town appointment so he could be within 15 minutes of getting home- isn't that sweet? Usually though, I am better fairly quickly, but wow, this is some funky stuff. I sound like a frog :-P. I have one of those hacky coughs that make your throat and chest hurt. Apparently, an OTC cold medicine and I don't get along very well. I started taking it a couple of days ago and my resting heart rate is normally 60, but it made my resting heart rate go up to 84 and it made it skip beats too. The doctor told my hubby that I was not to take that ever again- no worries there! Actually, it will find its way to the trash :). All right, so enough about my woes :-D. I hope you all enjoy lovely Spring weather today and have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day!!!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Pear Pizzazz, In Color Hostess Level One Designer Series Paper, Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Ink: Garden Green, Pear Pizzazz

Stamps: Lucky Shamrock

I'll come back and put the rest of the supplies later. If you need to know something about supplies for this card before that, please let me know.

Easter Card

I thought I ought to get crackin' on some Easter cards before April gets here :-). I used mostly Whisper White with just a splash of So Saffron for color. White is such a clean and fresh color- makes me think of sheets drying on the line in the sun and how they smell when they've spent the day in the fresh air. 

I used the Ticket Corner punch on the corners for the inside and matted it on So Saffron. My sentiment is stamped in So Saffron and I added a little butterfly to finish up the inside. 

I am doing up the posts for this week in my bed on my laptop and I'm hoping my throat is much better by the time this posts :-). On that note, I think I need to rest a bit so please excuse me for not being too chatty this week. Have a wonderful day today!!!

Blessings!
Barb

Supplies:
Paper: Whisper White- 100730, So Saffron- 105118
Classic Stampin' Ink: So Saffron- 105213
Stamps: Easter Blossoms- 122057 clear mount, God's Blessings- 114972 wood mount
Dies: Beautiful Wings- 118138
Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Framed Tulips- 121809, Elegant Bouquet- 115964
Other: pearls, So Saffron Stampin' Write Marker- 105114

Pretty in Pink

I know I've used the Framed Tulips embossing folder a lot lately, but I just love it! It's so pretty and yells Spring :-) ! My card base is Pretty in Pink, I layered the Framed Tulips in Pretty in Pink, and then added another Pretty in Pink layer that I stamped with Whisper White Craft Ink and the Sanded background stamp. I was thinking of Spring and white washed fences when I made this card :-D. The embossed edges of the Framed Tulips are inked with three coats of Whisper White Craft Ink as well. The So Saffron Simple Flower embosslit is once again inked with Peach Parfait. A Marina Mist butterfly, Old Olive leaves, and some pearls complete the card front.

 

I left the inside mostly blank for a hand written note or a sentiment to be added later. I did add a little greeting stamped in Marina Mist and layered on the oval punches to the bottom though. I inked just the very edges of the Scallop Oval with Peach Parfait. 

So there ya' have it. A card to add to your stash that can be used for many different occasions. Have a wonderful day today!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Pretty in Pink-100459, So Saffron- 105118, Marina Mist- 119682, Old Olive- 100702, Whisper White- 100730

Classic Stampin' Ink: Peach Parfait-119783, Marina Mist- 119668

Stamps: Easter Blossoms- 122057 clear mount, Sanded- 109294

Dies: Simple Flower embosslit- 114514, Little Leaves Sizzlit- 114511, Beautiful Wings embosslit- 118138

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Framed Tulips- 121809

Punches: Large Oval- 119855, Scallop Oval- 119856

Other: pearls

Post It Note Pad Holder

Do you have tools that kind of hit the wayside and you hardly use them, if at all? I have to sometimes make myself think of stamp sets, dies, punches, and other tools that I have that are neglected for long periods of time. Such was the case with my Simple Flower embosslit, so I pulled it out and gave it some love last week :-). 

A local store had the new pink Bind-it-all version 2 on sale for half price and it came with some extras- like chipboard covers. I've been wanting the pink one since it came out, but since I already had the blue one, I really couldn't justify the purchase. So glad it was on sale! Uh huh, yes I did get one :-). I used it on my post it note holder below....

I inked the edges of the So Saffron Simple Flower die cut with Peach Parfait. The two colors really work well together. My covers are just two coasters that I covered with Blushing Bride Designer Series Paper from the Level One Hostess sets.  

I used another Blushing Bride Designer Series Paper for the inside of my covers. The coasters both started out as black ones, but now they are nice and pretty :-). I plan to keep this little note holder in my purse for those quick notes that I sometimes need to write. This is a pretty quick and easy project and you could make a bunch of them in very little time. Have a great day!

Blessings!
Barb

Supplies:
Paper: So Saffron- 105118, Pear Pizzazz-119795, In Color Designer Series Paper Pack-121028
Classic Stampin' Ink: Pear Pizzazz-119784, Peach Parfait- 119783, Soft Suede- 115657
Stamps: Notes & Details- 122060 clear mount, Build a Blossom- 121994 clear mount
Dies: Simple Flower- 114514
Punches: Blossom Petals- 121808
Other: pearls, 4" coasters, post it pad

Sick :(

Last weekend I got sick and got over that and now I think I may have strep throat :(. I barely slept last night cause my throat hurt so badly. I'm taking anti-biotics and Tylenol for the pain. Also drinking hot tea with honey and lemon. It's amazing how hot tea can soothe a sore throat- the hotter the better :). I'm writing from my bed on my laptop- aren't laptops wonderful? You can haul them around anywhere! I will be back on Monday morning with some projects. See you then! Have a great weekend!

Blessings!
Barb

Any Occasion, Quick and Easy

Working on my stash again :-). This is another one that is quick and easy to make in several colors and great to have on hand for any occasion that needs a card. Get Well, Birthday, Thinking of You, Just Because....it works for everything! Well, maybe not for a masculine card ;-). I can't even imagine trying to give this one to my husband, lol! I used the In Colors to make this quick set....

Peach Parfait

Pear Pizzazz

Poppy Parade

Blushing Bride

Concord Crush

Have you noticed that I've used the same basic layout for all the cards that I've posted this week? It's amazing what little changes to a basic layout can make! Have a fabulous day!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Peach Parfait-119794, Poppy Parade-119793, Pear Pizzazz- 119795, Concord Crush-119792, Blushing Bride-119796, Whisper White-100730

Classic Stampin' Ink: Peach Parfait-119783, Poppy Parade-119782, Pear Pizzazz-119784, Concord Crush-119785, Blushing Bride-119786

Stamps: Punch Bunch-123211 (you can get it free during Sale-a-bration with a $50.00 purchase)

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Framed Tulips-121809

A Little Gift Bag!

One of my favorite dies for my Big Shot is the Fancy Favor die, exclusive to Stampin' Up! The bag can be used as a treat bag or a gift bag, it can even be used as a basket :-). It can be dressed up, dressed down, made into an elegant bag or any other theme you can imagine. It's a very versatile die! My personal opinion is that this die is a MUST HAVE in every paper crafter's tool basket :-).

I embossed my bag first with the Square Lattice embossing folder. It kind of reminds me of burlap :-). I simply added some leaves, a daisy with a button center, and a small butterfly. Quick and easy project to make for any occasion :-). Pop the daisy and the butterfly up on Stampin' Dimensionals and it's ready to go. Have a great day!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Pear Pizzazz-119795, Wild Wasabi-108641, Whisper White-100730, So Saffron-105118, Marina Mist-119682

Dies: Fancy Favor-115965, Beautiful Wings-118138, Little Leaves-114511, Daisies #2114520, Sweet Buttons embosslit-121813

Textured Impressions Embossing Folder: Square Lattice-119976

Other: Stampin' Dimensionals-104430

Marina Mist and Daffodil Yellow

I just love blue and yellow together and these two shades of blue and yellow are awesome together, in my opinion :-). 

Card Front with Matching Envelope

Inside of Card

I usually do a little something on the inside of my cards. Something that brings an element from the front to the inside to maintain the theme of the card. I chose to mat Whisper White on Daffodil Delight and added a smaller butterfly. The use of two different embossing folders adds a bit more interest to the texture. Of course, always stamp your envelopes for your cards to complete your all over design/theme :-). Wishing you all a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings!

Barb

Supplies:

Paper: Marina Mist-119682, Daffodil Delight-119683,Whisper White-100730

Classic Stampin' Ink: Marina Mist-119668, Daffodil Delight-119667

Stamps: Best Yet- retired

Dies: Beautiful Wings-118138, Bliss-123217

Textured Impressions Embossing Folders: Elegant Lines-119277, Framed Tulips-121809

Other: Bow template, white pearls