Merry Mittens

These adorable mittens are a Verve Digi Stamp that I downloaded quite a while ago.  When I saw the sketch for Waltzingmouse challenge #24,

the Verve image and this design came to mind.  I just put in an order for 4 Waltzingmouse stamp sets.  If you haven't visited Waltzingmouse, click HERE for a wonderful collection of stamps and related items.

C4C Autumn Birthday

It has been far too long since I put ink to paper and created something.  Life is nuts!  I have a dear friend with a birthday tomorrow, so I made myself buckle down and make her a card.  For my layout inspiration, I used this week's C4C Challenge, which is a sketch by one of my very favorite artists, Silke Ledlow. 

I recently got Gina K's Autumn Splendor collection, and these sunflowers were calling me.  I colored the sunflowers image with copics, and went from there. I am pleased with the way it cam out.  Happy Birthday Barbara!

Ingredients
Stamps:  Autumn Splendor~Gina K.; Big Wish~Verve.
Paper:  Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler, Gina K Pure Luxury~Pure Ivory, Basic Grey~Indian Summer.
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Onyx Black.
Accessories:  Nestabilities, Twill Tape, More Mustard 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Copic markers, Kaiser pearls, Sponge dauber.

You Rock!

The current CRAFTY CATWALK Challenge, which will be open and accepting your designs  until September 30, 2010, encourages you to Style a While and create a beauty using a dark focal point and shimmery products.  I have this wonderful new black sparkle embossing powder from Ranger.  I knew it would be perfect for this challenge, and CPS 185 (below) was the perfect layout for my card.

CPS185

The guitar is very sparkley, and the Hero Arts nailheads were the perfect shiney embellishment.  Fun, fun, fun!

Here are my indredients:
Stamps: Inkadinkado~Rock Star, Verve~You Rock.
Paper: Basic Black, Black glitter, white, DCWV textured cardstock, Night & Day DSP (SSU retired), Ghostly Greetings DSP (SI retired).
Ink: VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black.
Accessories: Nestabilities, Her Arts self adhesive nailheads, Ranger Black Sparkle embossing powder, sanding block, Dimensionals, Spiral Punch (SU retired).

Please stop by CRAFTY CATWALK and give their challanges a little love...

Autumn Blessings

I love the fall... it is hard to say goodbye to summer, but I love the colors, the scents, the traditions - pumpkins, roasted chickens, apples, soup, corn mazes, warm days, cool nights, Halloween, Thanksgiving... I love it all.  Papertrey Ink's Autumn Abundance collection has been calling me.  When I saw the September 2nd OCC Sketch Challenge, I began to put this card together in my head. School started though, and I never got to touch anything in my craft room for a week!  So, here it is, finally, and I love it! Happy Autumn! Thanks for stopping by.

Here are the ingredients for my creation:

Stamps~PapertreyInk's Autumn Abundance.

Paper~Chocolate Chip, Cajun Craze, White, Creative Imaginations DSP.

Ink~Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Vintage Sepia.

Accessories~Copic Markers, natural jute, Modern Label punch, Nestabilities, Kaiser Pearls, 1 1/2" striped grosgrain ribbon.

Crafty Catwalk Cardinal

This week's Crafty Catwalk Challenge is to "use what ya got" in the way of designer paper, take inspiration from Miu Miu's sunglasses and use your designer paper to frame the focal image on your project.  It took me a while to come up with something, but as I was looking through some retired SU Christmas DSP for something red and white, I found the paper I wanted to use and my creation came together.  Here is what I came up with:

The base of the card is Always Artichoke topped with a layer of Riding Hood Red and then Kraft, which is embossed with the Petals-A-Plenty EF.  I used circle Nestabilities to cut our four circular frames from Merry Moments DSP (retired). I stamped the cardinal image from A Cardinal Christmas using Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Taylored Expressions  Buttercream Choice Cardstock and colored it with Copics.  I cut the image out with Nestabillities Labels Thirteen, embossed it, and used a sponge dauber with Crumb Cake ink to add color around the edges. I stamped the settiment from A Cardinal Christmas using VersaFine Onyx Black ink on the Buttercream card stock, punched it out with the Modern Label punch and shaded the edges.  I added a piece of Always Artichoke 1/4" grosgrain ribbon toward the bottom, placed the sentiment on top and finished it off with an Antique brad.  Please go on over to the Crafty Catwalk and give their challenges a whirl! They are lots of fun!

Beach Note

Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply #154 is a color challenge. The colors are Turquoise and Orange, with White OR Ivory as your neutral and as always, adding Black for a little POP is totally OK, but not required.  These colors are great as we transition from summer to fall.  I just love this beach chair and umbrella image from Just Rite's By the Sea Set. I love the simplicity of this card and the whispers of summer that I can hear when I look at the image. I am definitely a summer girl... but I love the fall too. This card is a tribute to my dual seasonal personality!

Here are my ingredients:

Stamps: Just Rite~By the Sea, Verve~Accent Notes.

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaFine Onyx Black.

Paper:  White, Soft Sky, Not Quite Navy, Pumpkin Pie.

Accessories:  Spellbinders Impressibilities, Nestabilities, Pumpkin Pie 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, Dimensionals, Copics, Spellbinders Fancy Tags,  Kaiser pearls, Cuttlebug.

Crafty Catwalk Debut

There is a new challenge blog out there called Crafty Catwalk.  My friend Lucian of Paper Holiday, is one of the DT members, fabulous SU Demonstrator, and the person largely responsible for the my love affair with stamping.  I am excited to participate in this challenge debut which is a color challenge.  Here it is:

I chose to go simple and elegant on this one, and I am very pleased with the way it came out.  Here are the ingredients for my creation:

Paper:  White, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard.

Ink:  VersaFine Vintage Sepia, More Mustard.

Stamps:  Because I Care (SU hostess set).

Accessories:  Nestabilities Classic Ovals and Fancy Tags, Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Kaiser Pearls, Sponge Dauber, Pacific Point 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon (SU retired).

Congratulations Crafty Catwalk Creators!  Good luck!  I will be checking in often!