Life. ~ FTL 76 & CTD 77

I combined two of my favorite challenges for this card...not sure how successfully, but anyway...I had fun pairing up the Color Throwdown #77 using Elegant Eggplant, Baja Breeze & Certainly Celery and the Fall-to Layout #76 from Clean & Simple.



I dug through my file of retired paper and thankfully found several sheets/scraps of Baja Breeze scraps...woohoo...what a versatile color that is! Since I couldn't decide on ONE pattern to use, I used several...:) I love Elegant Eggplant, too, but just added a couple of touches. I just love the ocean/sea feeling of these colors together...so calming.





Stamps: Embrace Life (sentiment)
Paper: Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze CS, variety of retired DSP
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Other: Sherbet Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Trio Flower & Scallop Square Punches, Soft Subtles Brads, Mat Pack & Piercer, Certainly Celery 5/8" Grosgrain

Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 14 Show Stoppers

Thanks to all of the Curtain Call participants and readers! If you didn't get a chance to see the submissions, click HERE! I love reading your responses to the color combinations and seeing the amazing work that is submitted. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The Show Stoppers for Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 14 are these two talented ladies with Easter projects that really caught my eye. I hope you'll join me in congratulating them for their beautiful showstopping creations!



Arielle at Snappy Stampin' with this adorable Easter card...the bunny juggling Easter eggs is just too stinkin' cute!



Leonie at My Obsession, My Passion, My Therapy with this cute little Easter gift box...love the tag tying it all together!

Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 14

As I was perusing for some color inspiration for this week's Curtain Call, I came across these adorable Sweet Sachets at MarthaStewart.com. This stack of cashmere-looking sweaters and sachets have such soft and soothing colors...perfect for a wintery project or for a baby card. I used Stampin' Up!'s Bashful Blue, Orchid Opulence, Almost Amethyst, and Whisper White...I hope you'll join me and pull out those baby blue and lavender hues for a soft and soothing creation:)

To join us in the Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 14, simply create a papercrafted project using these colors (or similar shades), post it on your blog or other public gallery (Splitcoaststampers, Paper Craft Planet, Stampin' Addicts, etc.) using the keywords Curtain Call, link your posting back here to the Stamping Stage, and then come back to enter your name and the exact link to your project in the Mr. Linky box. You have until Saturday, January 31st at midnight (CST) to enter your Curtain Call Color Challenge: Act 14 project.



Those who are chosen as Show Stoppers will be awarded this badge to post on their blog and share the exciting news! I will be picking more than one Show Stopper for every ten Curtain Call Color Challenge submissions!



For this sweet little baby boy card, I used Bashful Blue textured cardstock for the base layered with some designer series paper from last year's Sale-a-bration promotion called Delicate Dots. After adding a little detail with the Scallop Trim Punch and rounding a couple of corners, I tied it off with some yummy 1" Bashful Blue Grosgrain. The elephant image from Nursery Necessities was stamped in Orchid Opulence and paired up with a little blue button from the Sherbet Designer Buttons pack.





Stamps: Nursery Necessities
Paper: Bashful Blue textured cs, Whisper White, Almost Amethyst CS
Ink: Orchid Opulence
Other: Sherbet Designer Buttons, Scallop Trim Punch, Corner Rounder

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

An Unforgettable Friend ~ SSSC 53 & SPCC 31

I found a new stamping challenge blog, the Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Challenge...this one, SPCC31 requires the use of Real Red, Pretty in Pink & Apricot Appeal. Karen Giron's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #53 was the inspiration for the layout of my card...love her sketches:) This card should also fit the bill for the Stamp Simply #124 - Bleeding Hearts challenge and the Red Heart challenge at Cardvaarks.

Was anyone else having trouble signing into blogger last night? I tried on and off all evening with NO luck...it could've been satellite internet issues...anyway, so glad to be able to post my card this evening. Have a great weekend!





Stamps: Happy Heart Day
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Watercolor Paper, Sending Love Specialty DSP
Ink: Black Stazon, Apricot Appeal, Real Red, Always Artichoke
Other: Aqua Painter, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Playground Designer Buttons, Linen Thread, Circle & Scallop Circle Nesties (non-SU)

A Friend Makes It Easy

It's snowing in Central Illinois....AGAIN! Boy, will I be ready for spring...do you think it will ever get here? Hannah and I will be so ready to plant flowers in pots and around the house this spring.

For my card, I chose a spring-like blossom image from the Simply Said stamp set with some added flower punches attached with brads. I used a fabulous sketch from Mercy's blog...Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge #58 for the layout of my card. There were two other challenges that I had jotted down to encorporate as well...The Pink Elephant Recipe Challenge #51 using polka dots, a bow and the color pink, and the Splitcoaststampers Color Challenge #255 using Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, and Blush Blossom. Since I am officialy crazy for challenges...lol...I'm also submitting this card for the Crazy 4 Challenges #21 using a pink color scheme.





Stamps: Simply Said
Paper: Pretty In Pink, Melon Mambo, Blush Blossom, Whisper White CS, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Ink: Soft Suede
Other: Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon, Sherbet Designer Buttons, Scallop Trim Punch & Trio Flower Punch, Soft Subtles Brads, Paper Piercing Tool

Love You Much ~ 2S4Y & cQc17

For this "Love You Much" card, I combined two fabulous challenges: Laura's Sketch #44 over at 2 Sketches 4 You blog and Arielle's ColourQ Challenge #17 using a yummy combination of Real Red, Bashful Blue, Taken With Teal, Basic Black & Whisper White.





Stamps: Love You Much
Paper: Bashful Blue, Taken With Teal, Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red CS, Autumn Days DSP
Ink: Black Stazon, Taken With Teal & Bashful Blue Stampin' Write Markers
Other: Real Red Corduroy Buttons, Boho Blossoms & Pinking Hearts Border Punches, Real Red Satin Ribbon, Mat Pack & Paper Piercing Tool

Thinking of You ~ CAS & CC

I made this card using the Splitcoaststampers Clean & Simple Challenge #51 encorporating designer paper into the CAS card and Kelly Jo's Color Chef Challenge #36 using light pink, dark pink, and cream or white.






Stamps: Trendy Trees (sentiment)
Paper: Very Vanilla CS, Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Rose Red
Other: Butterfly Punch, Sherbet Designer Buttons, Natural Hemp Twine, 1" Rose Red Grosgrain

Just My Type ~ CD 52 & EBTKS 3

I've been thinking about some masculine looking valentine cards for my hubby...so for this card, I did some experimenting. I was inspired by two challenges, the Color Dare #52 using Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Only Orange & Brocade Blue and Everything But the Kitchen Sink Sketch #3. The straight lines of the sketch and this rugged color combo seemed the perfect choices for a hubby card:)





Stamps: Puns From the Past
Paper: Old Olive, Only Orange, Whisper White CS, Sweet Pea DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Other: Brocade Blue 5/8" Grosgrain, Fresh Favorites Buttons, Circle Nestabilities (non-SU)