Black Tie Fridays #18 - TEXTURE!

Black Tie Fridays #18 this week is all about Texture, Texture, Texture.    I had several new embossing folders I wanted to try, and this card was perfect for them.  I had tried to get it done in time for the CAS(E) this Sketch! #14 challenge, but had been sick and it just didn't work out.  So I included the sketch so you could see my inspiration.  You'll notice that I rotated the sketch to make it work with the direction of the embossing folder.

Here's a list of what I used for this project - again, everything is CTMH unless noted:

Stamp Images -
Balloon - My Sunshine (S1304) April's Stamp of the Month 
Happy Birthday - Piece of Cake (retired)
CELEBRATE - A Little Everything (retired)
Cloud - unmounted stamp in my stash! 
 
Cardstock -
White Daisy
Honey
Heavenly Blue (retired)

Inks -
Twilight
Crystal Blue

Embossing Folders -
Cloudy Day (Stampin' Up)
Square Lattice (Stampin' Up)

Cut shapes are from Artiste Cricut Cartridge

Head on over to Black Tie Fridays and see the other great cards with texture!

H2H Tag Challenge with Mojo Monday 281 sketch and Play Date Cafe Color Challenge #169

One project - three challenges!  It really helped the development of the project go VERY quickly - and I had fun in the process.

Heart 2 Heart's challenge this week was to make anything with a tag - so I just did the tag.  It can be added to a card or used on a package.  Tags are very versatile.

Mojo Monday's sketch was great - and I had the flowers cut from a previous project - just had to make sure I had the right colors.  Those came from the Play Date Cafe challenge.  So armed with all this inspiration, I got to work.

I made my own ink spray mist and used it as the background, then added hand stitching.  Here's a list of what I used - and as usual, everything is CTMH unless noted.

Stamp Images -
Flowers - Girls Rock (C1538) - flower shapes cut from Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge
Celebrate - Perfect Fit - Birthdays (B1417) 
Cardstock -
Juniper
Blush
White Daisy
Inks -
Blush
Crystal Blue
Juniper
Embellishments -
Bitty Sparkles (Z1263)
Clear acrylic flower - Claire Asst (Z1813)
Large gemstones - from my stash
Stitched Blushing Bride ribbon - Stampin' Up (retired)
Sheer ribbon - from my stash
Fiskars scallop edge punch
Tag shape cut from Artiste Cricut cartridge

Click on the links below or the badges in the sidebar to see other projects submitted for these challenges.  Thanks for looking!
Heart 2 Heart Tag challenge
Play Date Cafe Challenge #169
Mojo Monday 281

CAS(E) this Sketch! Challenge #15

I've tried this challenge before, but never made the deadline - and I missed it again this week!  But I wanted to share my creations with you.  The card above is for Challenge #15.  I was out of town and tried to get it done at the last minute, but didn't succeed!

I have come to really like the clean and simple look on cards - and for next month's Birthday Extravaganza, they are going to have to be quick to make in order to get 10 cards done in one class!

Here's a list of what I used on this card (all materials are CTMH unless noted):
Stamp Images -
Fleur de Lis - You & Me (retired)
Celebrate - Card Chatter Birthday (D1475)
Wishing . . . - Happiest Birthday Wishes (Stampin' Up)
Background paper -
Scholastic and Victory (retired)
Cardstock -
Colonial White and Cashmere
Inks -
Champagne and Outdoor Denim 
Clear embossing powder




I'll give this challenge a try again soon!  Check back to see if I finally make it in time!

Thanks for stopping by and looking.

Retrosketches #50 - another new challenge for me!

Still working on all those cards for March's Birthday Extravaganza - and this is my take on the retrosketches #50 sketch.   Click here to head over to their blog to see the other great creations with this sketch. 

I've seen so much with the mustache, I just had to put one on here.  And I've fallen in love with the yellow/grey combination and felt it was perfect for a guy's card. 

I used CTMH's In the Background (D1540) for the chevron strip and Just a Number (D1514) for the greeting.  The mustache is cut off CTMH's Artiste cartridge for the Cricut, and I added some cranberry brads which fit perfectly in the circles created by the Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Thanks for looking!

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Love is in the Air

 This week's challenge at Heart 2 Heart is Love is in the Air.  I finally used my Whooo's Your Valentine stamp set to create this milk carton treat holder for a friend and filled it with Hershey's mini chocolates.   I used ruby and blush inks and some heart and colored gemstones from my stash.  The mini clothespin was perfect for closing the spout once it was filled.

Click here or on the H2H badge on the sidebar to see the other great love projects made this week!

Feminine Birthday card - Seize the Birthday #5 and Shopping Our Stash 89

I tried several new challenges this week.  I'm preparing for next month's BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA in my Stamp Clubs, so thought these two challenges were perfect.  As I was planning the card for Seize the Birthday (Feminine Birthday), I was digging into papers that were truly stashed away, and used a die that I've had for at least two years and used it to make only one card!  I had just starting watching the Shopping Our Stash challenge blog, so thought I'd check back with them, and found that their theme this week was They Say It's Your Birthday!
Check out each of these blogs to see the great creations others have made (just click on the title and you'll be whisked off!)-
Seize the Birthday
Shopping Our Stash

The die is the Spellbinders Lotus Pendant, and both images are from Stampin' Up - the outside image from Happiest Birthday Wishes and the inside image from Vintage Verses.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder.

The background paper was given to me as a gift pack by a student several years ago, and there is no identifying information for it.  The cardstocks for the card base and embossed strips have been around so long I have no idea where they came from!  Products from CTMH finish it off - Outdoor Denim ink and cardstock, Buttercup cardstock, and Bitty Sparkles.

FEBRUARY STAMP CLUB - CELBRATING SPRING!

Click on the above photo to see a larger version!
We are making a lot of projects this month with a Spring and Easter theme. 

Join us to for these fun activities.

Stamp Club meets on three different days

Tuesday, Feb 5

Saturday, Feb 9

Monday, Feb 11

Click here to go to the Stamp Club page for more photos and all the details!

FRESHLY MADE SKETCHES #70

Another week, another challenge, and another card done for the February Stamp Clubs!!!  I love doing the challenges - they inspire me and give me fresh ideas, and keep me on track.  Everyone needs a little help like that.

I used the new Claire background and texture paper for this card.  This paper will be available the beginning of February in the new Spring/Summer 2013 CTMH catalog.  I accented with Pansy Purple (it's retired, but the stamp pad was Smokey Plum which is very close).

I used the CTMH alcohol markers to color the lilies, and added bitty pearls colored with alcohol ink for the stamens. 

Freshly Made Sketches are all about clean designs.  The flowers are the focal point.  The embossing on the front adds detail without being distracting.  

Click here to see all the other great designs with this sketch.

The inside of the card uses the other lily image from the stamp set.  Specifics of all the products I used can be found on the "My Challenges" page of this blog.

The design of this card is such that you could turn it into a Thinking of You card or a card for Easter - whatever you need!

Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday 276 and a Sneak Peak at the new CTMH Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book

 

It's been a while since I have participated in a challenge, but with the new papers and stamps from the new Spring/ Summer Idea Book, I was excited to start playing again.  The Mojo Monday sketch had some beautiful entries when I first saw it, and I thought it would be perfect for this little Easter chick.  

The stamp set is "Easter Wishes" (B1422) and the paper is "Chantilly" (X7163B).  Both will be available in the new Idea Book starting February 1.

This card will be one of the Easter cards we will be making in our February Stamp Clubs. 

Here's the inside of the card.  
I've admired a technique fellow CTMH consultant Allisa Chilton uses on the inside of her cards - using some of the paper from the front.  So adding the grass to the inside only made sense on this card.  Hope you enjoy it!

A list of materials used can be found on the "My Challenges" page of this blog. 

STAMP CLUB - JANUARY 2013

Love is in the air in January as we work on cards for Valentine's Day - for the love of your life or for friends and family.  Join us for one of the three Stamp Clubs that meet - this month on Monday, January 14, Tuesday, January 15, or Saturday, January 19.  Click here for more photos and all of the information you need to be a part of one of the groups!