Just Because

Edited to add: My card was chosen as one of the "What's Hot" at Embellish!





The Card Positioning System Sketch #220 and...



the Embellish Text Color Trends Challenge were the inspiration for this fabulous card! Isn't this mix of neutrals totally fabulous? Wow...love it!



I used the Notably Ornate stamp set with the Love Letter and Fine Print Designer Series Paper packs. The bird image was heat embossed and hand-cut...and darn it, I had the black rhinestones ready to adhere to the left corner and totally forgot. I DID remember to add some sewn edges, though! LOL! Does anyone else have these forgetful moments?



Thanks for stopping by!



Stamps: Notably Ornate
Paper: Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Going Gray CS, Love Letter & Fine Print DSP
Ink: Versamark, Black Stazon
Other: Heat Tool, Black Embossing Powder, Pinking Hearts Border Punch, Distressing Kit, Cutter Kit, Crochet Trim, Jumbo Buttons, Linen Thread, pins & sewing machine (non-SU)

DREAMS

The sentiment from this Verve set is PERFECT for a graduate, don't you think?



My inspiration for this card is from the Embellish Color Trends Tags Challenge and...



the Monday Mojo Sketch 191.



Thanks for stopping by! Hope your week is off to a great start:)



Stamps: Blue Skies (Verve)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Rose Red, Not Quite Navy, Very Vanilla CS, Vintage Springtime DSP
Ink: Not Quite Navy
Other: Vintage Brads, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Rose Red Stitched Grosgrain, Spiral & Small Tag punches, Cutter Kit, Nestabilities (non-SU)

Cute as a Bug ~ Embellish Babies Color Challenge & MTSC80

I paired up two challenges for my card today...the Embellish Babies Color Challenge using yellow, cream, peach & green, along with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #80.



A great combination of challenges:)



The layering of the card was done with alternating cardstock and designer paper. My stamp-a-majig came in handy with the stacked bugs and the sentiment. The dragonfly was stamped then handcut and adhered with a dimensional.





Stamps: Bugs & Kisses
Paper: So Saffon, Very Vanilla, Peach Parfait, Pear
Ink: So Saffron, Pear, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede
Other: Stamp-a-majig, Scallop Edge Punch, Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool, Rich Regals Brads, Certainly Celery Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread, Nestabilities (Spellbinders), button (PTI)

Thanks for stopping by!

Sentimental Journey Sneak Peek

I made this little gift set for my mom who will be flying out to Salt Lake City with me this summer when I go to attend Stampin' Up! convention! I'm super excited to go and even more excited that Mom and my daughter Hannah will be travelling with me:) By day, I'll be stamping by day with thousands of other demonstrators while Mom and Hannah will shop and maybe do a little site-seeing.



The Embellish Parties Color Challenge using Red, Black, Kraft & White was the inspiration for theme and color of my project, while the MOJO Monday Sketch Challenge #134 was the layout inspiration of my card with a little carry-over to the favor.





The main image and sentiment is from the brand-new stamp set called Sentimental Journey, which will become available for customer purchase on May 1st. It's a great set to make masculine cards with...and what's even better is the stamp set has it's very own pack of coordinating Sentimental Journey Designer Series Paper.



I'll be making up some swaps to mail off this weekend using this set, too...so stay tuned for more Sentimental Journey projects to come:)



The favor was die cut from the Fancy Favor Bigz XL Die and stamped using the "pad to paper" technique to give it some texture.



Now it's your turn to get sentimental and make a goodie for someone special:)



Stamps: Sentimental Journey, All Holidays (for you sentiment on favor)
Paper: Whisper White, Naturals White, Basic Black, Kraft, Real Red CS, Jackpot DSP
Ink: Sahara Sand, Black Stazon
Other: Scallop Trim Punch, Crop-o-dile, 1" Circle Punch, Linen Thread, Basic Black 5/8" Grosgrain, Fire Square Rhinestone Brads, Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool

hello ~ Embellish & Mercy's Sketch #68

I hadn't inked up this fun little set called Forest Friends since the fall, so I dusted him off and encorporated a little stamp with marker technique. I inked up the images with Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand & Pretty In Pink, then hand cut the bunny and butterfly to attach for a dimensional look. The butterfly and sentiment come from a different little set called Hello Again.



I paired up a couple of challenges that really get me thinking outside of the box...the Embellish Color Challenge with Stitching using Light Aqua, Kraft & Light Pink and Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #68.



The vertical panels behind the main nestie-cut image were stitched with the sewing machine. Before it was all said and done, it needed a little embellishing, so I added pink brads, some narrow Sage Shadow grosgrain with a Pink Pirouette button laced with Linen Thread.





Stamps: Forest Friends, Hello Again
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Kraft, Whisper White CS, To the Nines and retired DSP
Ink: Sage Shadow, Sahara Sand & Pretty in Pink
Other: Button Bouquet (retired), Sage Shadow 1/4" Grosgrain, Linen Thread, Circle/Scallop Circle Nestibilities
Techniques: Stamp with Marker, Sewing

Blossom

I've been wanting to play around with fabric again since I made my Shamrock card for Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 21...and I've had my eye on this FUN challenge at Embellish magazine, called Embellish Color Challenge with Fabric using red, green, blue & kraft PLUS fabric, of course. I noticed that tonight was the deadline to get my card submitted, so after dinner, I headed up to my stamp room and this is the result! I used Alice's Bonus Sketch from 2 Sketches 4 You for inspiration of my layout and I think it totally works! Oh,and Verve is having a March Parade of Projects to inspire you to have "Fun with Flowers."



The fabric was die-cut using the Scallop Square, gathered by hand and stitched with the sewing machine. I wrapped some yummy Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain around the gathered fabric before placing my main image over the top.





Stamps: Spring Blossoms (Verve)
Paper: Kraft, Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White CS
Ink: Always Artichoke, Certainly Celery, Night of Navy, Bordering Blue Stampin' Write Markers
Other: Scallop Square Bigz Die, Big Shot, Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain, Playground Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Oval/Scallop Oval Nestabilities (Spellbinders)

Embrace Life ~ Poppy Seed/Embellish/Free For All

It's always fun to find a new creative challenge...and this week, I found TWO of them...the Poppy Seed Challenge at Lisa Johnson's Poppy Paperie blog and the Free For All Challenge. I combined these two new challenges, Poppy Seed Challenge #1 which requires crystals, flower stamp, and light yellow...and Free For All #1 at Splitcoaststampers to use texture, one color that you rarely use, and patterned paper. The Embellish Color Challenge with Borders was also a MUST for this lively card, using the colors green, yellow, pink & peach.



Can you guess which color I haven't used in a LONG time? Groovy Guava was an In Color in 2008...the big shocker was that I found several sheets of this cardstock and a couple of sheets of designer series paper:)

How cute are the little crystals? They are from the new Eggcelent Eggs Kit in the Occasions Mini Catalog...and I'm thinking that I heard these crystals will be offered again...YAY!

I'm not very happy with the ribbon treatment...this skinny ribbon is a little more difficult to "poof" up:)

If you're in the mood for a new challenge, go check these out...you're sure to find some inspiration! Check back here tomorrow for a new Curtain Call Color Challenge...and a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT that you won't want to miss!





Stamps: Embrace Life
Paper: Groovy Guava (retired), Certainly Celery, Pixie Pink CS, Watercolor Paper, Shades of Spring & retired DSP
Ink: Black Stazon, Pixie Pink, So Saffron, Barely Banana & Sahara Sand Stampin' Write Markers
Other: Scallop Edge & Corner Rounder Punches, Eggcelent Eggs Kit, retired So Saffron ribbon, Sherbet Designer Buttons, Linen Thread

Happy Heart Day

The Embellish Ribbon Color Challenge is to use the color combination turquoise, brown, pink AND to add ribbon...what a fun and happy color scheme. and...I love this darling sketch, Stampin' Royalty #4...I don't create a tag panel very often, but it's so cute...I should make tags more often. Oh...oh...oh...there's a new blog called Just Add Ink and the current challenge is to Just Add Hearts...go check it out!

I did some experimenting with the new epoxy brads...when you turn the prongs back, the centers don't pop out like the rhinestone brads, so I removed the prongs by twisting them off with tweezers...then adhered the epoxy center with Crystal Effects.





Stamps: Happy Heart Day
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip CS, Watercolor Paper, Flock Together & Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Tempting Turquoise & Pretty in Pink Stampin' Write Markes
Other: Chocolate Chip Epoxy Brads & Corduroy Buttons, Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool, Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Trio Flower Punch, Pinking Hearts Border Punch, Crystal Effects