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Every Day Basket

I decided to do a sketch challenge yesterday. If my husband had been doing the challenge (Ok that IS highly unlikely but play with me on this...) he would have followed the sketch all the way.  If he straightens the house the pillows are all lined up symmetrically. I, on the other hand, throw the pillows on the sofa randomly or at least I try to make them look that way. He would have centered the focal point. Most definitely.

Anyway, here's the sketch for SC300:

Here is my card. I had to add the button because, well I'd ordered both the Regals paper (this card uses Night of Navy and Cajun Craze DSP) and the buttons so I could use them together. And it seemed that if I used the button I really needed to move the top layer over.

Stamps: Peace Within (Thanks, Lynda!)

Ink: Stazon Black, Markers

Paper: Watercolor paper, Night of Navy, Patterns DSP - Regals

Accessories: Designer Buttons - Neutrals, Linen Thread, Blender pen

 

Happy Stamping - even if you don't follow the challenge.

 

Chris

 

 

 

Glimmering Gratitude

I love the intense colors of Halloween and hate to limit this combination to just Halloween. Besides, the DSP Nite Owl has a lot of potential for post Halloween cards. With these thoughts in mind, I created this for last week's Stamp Club:

(The Pear Pizzazz DSP with Raven lace still kind of make me think of Elphaba from Wicked wearing black fishnet stockings!)

This  gratitude medallion was my third attempt. I initially tried sponging Razzleberry ink onto the black embossed medallion and it was just too dark. Razzleberry with a blender pen wasn't quite right either. Finally, I started at the middle of the medallion with Daffodil Delight on my sponge dauber, surrounding that with Pumpkin Pie and Tnagerine Tango as I worked my way out. Since I wasn't planning to cut ou tthe whole medallion I used a blender pen to add Melon Mambo around the edges. There isn't any Rich razzle berry on this medallion except the Glimmer brad in the center. I hope the photo captures how well this works. When we did this at stamp club we cut out the entire medallion and layered it since it was easier to just color the whole medallion with daubers.

Stamps: Day of Gratitude

Ink: Versamark (plus Black embossing powder), Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo, Basic Black Marker (to Blacken trimmed edges of image)

Paper: Rich Razzleberry card base, Basic Black layers, Nite Owl DSP, Whisper White Cardstock

Accessories: Raven Lace trim, Glimmer Brights brads, Rich Razzleberry Satin Ribbon, Sponge daubers, Blender Pen

Happy Stamping!

Chris

Stamp Club: Beth's Moose Munch

I meant to post this a month ago after our August Stamp Club but it took me awhile to locate the photo. I have enough trouble getting decent shots of cards. Unfortunately this photo doesn't show how irresistable this snack was. Our hostess, Beth brought this and everyone wanted to recipe so I typed it into a blog post as she recited it to me.

I box 12 ounce or so Crispix cereal

1 12 ounce can of party peanuts

10-12 ounces pretzels

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup Karo syrup

Pam

12 ounces or so M&Ms to your liking.

Mix 1st three ingredients together. Set aside. Bring butter, sugar and syrup to a boil and then boil for 1 1/2 minutes. Spray Pam on the inside of a brown paper bag. Pour dry ingredients into bag and then carefully pour hot liquid. Use a spoon to mix dry ingredients with butter mixture. Close the bag and put it into the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove and stir or shake. Beth recommends stirring. Close the bag again and microwave another 1 1/2 minutes and stir. Beth repeats this process one more time for a total of three times. Spread over parchment paper. Let cool a couple of minutes and sprinkle with M&Ms.

We did take a break from munching to stamp. This is one of the cards we made:

This was done on watercolor paper with markers and the blender pens. Colors are Wild Wasabi, Real Red, and Marina Mist

We also did this card using River Rock instead of Sahara Sand DSP. I'll have to get a picture of that version sometime.  As you can see coloring was our theme last month.

Oh yes, even though I gave a simpler option without all of the layers everyone chose to include the texture. The Square Lattice embossing was definitely a favorite.  Here are a couple of other very simple reasons that it was on just about everyone's order:

 

Jeanne Mix, a member of my downline made the Deck the Halls card.

 

Baby GIfts

I like matching up gift cards to the gift. Sometimes I choose wrapping paper that I know I match card stock and ribbon that I have on hand. For the following baby gifts I matched the card to the outfits/stuffed animals I had purchased.

Both cards use the jumbo wheel, Baby Tees. "hello, baby" is from the set Teeny Tiny Wishes.

 

Notice how the Carl Sandburg quote, from the Level III hostess set, Occasional Quotes uses a matching font.

 

I spruced up the gable box (retired) with more of the Neutrals Patterns paper and giant card stock trim made with the Tasteful Trim die from the Holiday Mini. The trim was sponged lightly with Crumb Cake ink. I had to round off the points on the star to make it more like the star on the baby tee. The button is also from the Holiday Mini.

Autumn Gratitude Duo

Here are the first two cards I've created with Day of Gratitude and it's coordinating specialty, Autumn Spice:

The image is colored with More Mustard, Cajun Craze and Old Olive. Both focal point images are matted on Early Espresso. The first card uses a finely patterned More Mustard paper from Autumn Spice along with a large floral/leaf pattern on Early Espresso, also from Autumn Spice.Since the early Espresso Ribbon and bow has quite a bit of dimension I double up the dimensionals so the height of the focal point piece attempts to balance the dimension of the bow.

The second card base is itself made from some of the heavyweight Autumn Spice specialty paper. The Early Espresso/Vanilla pattern creates a subtle pattern around the edge of the card while the soft dotted stripe pattern on the other side adds a little interest to the inside of the card.  The Vanilla layer on top of the base is textured with  the Square lattice embossing folder and lightly sponged with Crumb Cake. Have I mentioned yet that the Crumb Cake Classic ink pad has turned out to be a real work horse for me? The Cajun Vanilla pattern adds to the "Grandma's Dining Room" type impression I was trying to create. Ribbon is Very Vanilla Seam Binding and teh button is from the Regals button set.

Thanks for stopping by!

Chris

Jolly Old...Snowman

Have you seen Stampin' Up!'s new Holiday Mini Catalog? It. Is. Awesome!

I colored this jolly little guy from the set Jolly Old Saint Nick with watercolor pencils and my blender pen. The rick-rack is made with the tasteful trim die and the button is from the Candy Cane Big Designer Buttons. The colors of the buttons coordinate with the Candy Cane Christmas DSP which is peeking out from behind my Crumb Cake Top Note layer. The snowflakes are embossed with the Northern Flurry embossing folder and lightly dusted with my white craft pad. It probably doesn't show much but I used my Versamarker around the edge of the Top Note.

Stamps: Jolly Old Saint Nick

Ink: Stazon Jet Black, Whisper White Craft

Paper: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Crumb Cake, candy Cane Christmas

Accessories: Big Designer Buttons (Candy Cane), Tasteful Trim and Top Note dies, Watercolor Pencils, Blender pen, Northern Flurries embossing folder, Versamarker, Linen thread

We are having a beautiful fall day here in Minnesota. I hope you are enjoying fall too!

Chris

Blushing Bride on Basic Gray

We made this card at my New Catalog open house back in July. The flower is from Punched Posies, a now retired Hostess set from the Summer Mini Catalog. It was a great way for everyone to try out the new rhinestones, Blushing Bride ribbon and card stock, plus the Neutrals Patterns DSP Stack. "For the Newlyweds" is from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

The layout is a favorite that I have used back in my swapping days. It's great for showcasing DSP while still using small enough amounts to make multiple cards.

Here is another version if the same layout that I don't believe I've ever put on my blog.  You probably can't tell from the photo but I used textured black card stock and a ribbed black ribbon that Stampin' Up used to have in a Ribbon Originals pack.( If I was to make it again I think I would change the leaf piece 0r at least it's position.)

 

Happy Stamping!

Chris

Artistic License

I had the great fortune to spend a couple of days stamping with a few members of my downline last month, Liz brought along her Totally Tool stamp set and I couldn't resist trying out the tool belt sample in the Idea Book and Catalog. The problem was how to make it into a card.  As you can see, Marina Mist works very well as the chambray of a work shirt. I don't think I was totally successful with the gathers where the shirt is tucked in - I did them with the Versamarker. You get the idea though, right? The button was made with the Buttons #5 sizzlet. 

And don't complain about the scale of the hammer and the saw - that's called artistic license!

Deck the Halls Patches

With all the other punches out there it's easy to forget about square punches. I remember, in somewhat ancient history, when we thought we were lucky to be able to buy sheets with perforated squares to punch out.  They needed to be sanded to get all the little nubs off.

A couple of hints on this card:

1. I lay my base card on Stampin' Up!'s grid paper to determine where the center is. Then I place a 1 3/8" square in the center and use this to line up all the other squares.
2. I sponged the DSP squares and the bird and its wing with Crumb Cake ink. This is a great way to cover the white core of the DSP.
3. Play with the arrangement of your squares before applying adhesive. Do you want the heavier colors more evenly distributed or does it look better to keep the colors with more "weight" at the bottom (or top for that matter). There is no right or wrong - these are just things to think about as you compose your card.
4. I used a tiny half pearl for the bird's eye but if I were to do it again I think w French knot of linen thread would be more in keeping with the style of this card. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by my inkpad today. Happy stamping!

Chris

Cream on Cream

Here is a simple little card inspired by an cream colored shirt in a Coldwater Creek  catalog that arrived several weeks ago.  I used the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder with Victorian Crocheted Lace, along with Very Vanilla Seam Binding and a Deck the Halls Big Designer Button. I had not noticed how large the buttons were when I first ordered them but I've used a number of them already and must admit I do like their size. On this card I threaded the ribbon through the button to before tying it. I used a mini glue dot to attach it to the lace.

The greeting is "Imagine the Possibilities" from the stamp set, Word Play. It is stamped in Crumb Cake formerly known as kraft. It is wonderful to have ink in that color.

Until next time...

Chris