'ABC' Challenges - Color Challenge and Lollipop Crafts #94 {Giving Thanks}

Hello friends and blog followers, so happy that you've decided to pop in and visit me today.  We have a color challenge for you this week at 'ABC' Challenges. We'd like to see your beautiful cards using Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive and Choc Chip. Here's what I came up with for your inspiration:

 

I am also entering this card in the Lollipop Crafts Challenge #94 - We are Thankful.  It's getting close to Thanksgiving and I LOVE Thanksgiving! I love the fellowship of family and friends (so very thankful for each and every one of them), celebrating our freedoms and blessings (thanks to our military personnel who so bravely defend us), I am thankful for our health, and of course the food - the wonderful, delicious food - Yum!! This is the one day I really let myself just enjoy (and usually regret it later) in terms of whatever I eat.  Does you family have any specific food traditions for Thanksgiving?  We usually have scalloped oysters as one of the dishes that is made.  And for me... I just must have sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.  Am I making you hungry?  Sorry - I almost made myself hungry too :o) Pie anyone???

So... on to this card.   I punched out a bunch of leaves using Choc Chip and Pumpkin Pie cardstock and assembled them in a wreath shape.  The Argyle embossing folder provided some additional texture to this card.  A pretty quick Thanksgiving card really - aside from the time I spent getting the leaves to conform into sort semblance of a circle ( ;o) ).  My layout comes from a sketch that my friend Cindi found on-line for one of our card exchange group get togethers. I am very thankful also for this great group of crafty ladies - they are a wonderfully supportive group.  I will be sharing this card with the group - hope they like it! 

Well... off I go for now. Hope you decide to join us this week at 'ABC' Challenges.  The other DT members have created some beautiful cards to share with and inspire you too.  I'd love to come visit you and see your beautiful cards - so go get crafting.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!  Hugs! D

Supplies (Stampin Up! except leaf punch): Cardstock - Choc Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz (sentiment strip).  DSP - Brights collection of Patterned Paper Stack - Old Olive.  Embossing - Argyle texture folder. Sentiment - Full of Blessings (available in the holiday mini).  Other - naturals wood button and pumpkin pie bakers twine.

Something new for ABC Challenges

Hello friends - Happy Monday (if there is such a thing - hahaha)! So happy to announce today that this is my first card to share with you as a member of the brand spankin' new challenge called ABC Challenges. The ABC stands for All Beautiful Cards. I'm so delighted to be part of this challenge launch and am looking forward to seeing your beautiful creations and visiting your blogs. In honor of our first challenge our delightful blog leader and challenger owner Patty Gorka has decided to use the theme "New to You". That means we want to see you make a card using something that is either new to you (this can be something you've had for a while but never used - or it can be something that is brand new to you) and/or try a new technique that you've not done before. How fun is that??? I think it's very fun and here is what I came up with to inspire you:

 

My card today uses the following "new" things:

1) a NEW technique called bargello (see more info below)

2) a NEW stamp called Frightening Feline

3) an retired ribbon that I ordered and never used til now (and a NEW way of tying the bow -new for me that is).

 

Here's a close up of the words on the cat:

Not sure if the photos show this very well but I embossed the cat in black.  I was worried that the works might not stay clear with the embossing process but it seems to have worked out just wonderfully (other than where my fat thumb bumped the top of the left ear).

 



I had a lot of fun creating this card to share with you today.  The background is made from strips of patterned paper (1/4" each) put together in a technique called Bargello.  I learned this technique by following Mynette's fabulous instructions on the Technique Tuesday blog.  It's really quite easy - and I'm quite pleased with how my first attempt turned out.  What a super fun way to make you own paper!  To get the instructions pop on into the Technique Tuesday blog site and then make your own creation to share there.   

I'm a big fan of combining challenges when I can.  I find that it give me an extra level of challenge fun and inspiration as I'm deciding what to make.  At ABC Challenges we allow you to combine up to 10 challenges in total.  I used a couple more challenges for today's card in addition to the ABC Challenge.  I took my color inspiration from the Dynamic Duos Challenge #25 - Orange and Black.

 

I took further inspiration in terms of my theme for Divas By Design Challenge #57 -"Something Spooky" and Halloween at Sweet Stampin' Challenges.

Please pop on over to the  ABC Challenges blog and visit us.  We have a fabulous design team who have created some terrific cards for your inspiration to jump start this new challenge.  We would really love your support and can't wait to see what you create!  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit me today. Til next time... Hugs and Happy Crafting!

Supplies (all from Stampin Up!): Cardstock - Tangerine Tango, Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black.  DSP - Howlstooth and Scaringbone.  Stamp - Frightening Feline. Ribbon (retired - black lace). Other - Versamark in and black embossing powder. 


Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #79 and C4C150

Hello friends - hope you are having a most wonderful day!  I made this card based on the sketch at Try Stampin' on Tuesday Challenge #79 (see below) and used the colors from Crazy 4 Challenges #150 which asks us to use the colors of pink, green yellow and blue only and I immediately thought of a baby card. 

I love this sketch because its a great way to use different patterned paper.  Here I've used some paper from my Designers Series paper stack in the subtles collection.  BTW, that blue button is not that dark really, somehow it just looks darker in the photo. I put my paper into the 2 1/2" circle cut almost to the edge to get the cut on the side and then made it fit on the card (thought that would be easier than trying to trim part of it after I glued it down).  I punched a second circle and slightly layered behind the first one.  I put all three stamps on the clear block where I wanted them and then colored with my SU markers - worked pretty slick! The sentiment is from a set called Petite Pairs and the rattle is from a set called button buddies.   

Thanks so much for stopping by today - I'm sure glad that you did!  Til next time - Hugs!



52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown - Color Challenge #8

Ho Ho Ho - it's Saturday and time for another great challenge from 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown! This week our challenge is a color challenge and the hostess with the mostest (Jacqueline) has chosen the combo of Red, White, Black and Metalic Silver. Don't ya just love it?? I do!  I really loved the crisp look of these colors together.

My immediate thought was a black silhouette and I worked the rest of my card from there.  I decided to try a CAS card in my quest to conquer the Clean and Simple style (this is one that I struggle with but really admire).  Let's see - how did I do? A CAS style uses lots of white space, has minimal layering and embellishments and lets the image provide the bulk of the focus of the card.  Hmmm... I do have a fair amount of white space, my image definitely takes center stage, I might have a couple  too many layers, and my embellishments are minimal (the bow).  I don't count my sparkly rhinestones as embellishments per se - lol - but maybe I should.  So I think I did pretty good with the CAS card style but I'll keep working on it ;o)

If you need a little more "nudging" to help you get a start on your Christmas cards then you really should pop into the 52CCT blog and see the creations the rest of the design team has prepared for your inspiration - 'cause they are really wonderful!  If you've already started -  hooray for you! We would LOVE to have you join the 52{Christmas} Card Throwdown Color Challenge #8 this week - so please pop on over and share your creations with us!

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit - I'm sure glad that you did!  Til next time - hugs to you!

Supplies (all from Stampin Up!): Cardstock - Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White and Brushed Silver.  Versamark ink and black embossing powder were used on the stamped image (retired).  I used one of my favorite - but retired - textured embossing folders for the background of snowflakes. A shiny black satin ribbon and circle fire brad in red (both retired products) finish off the card.     

MOJO252, PPA140, Lollipop Crafts & Paper Play {Happy Birthday}

Hello friends and Happy Friday!! Today is my niece's 19th birthday and I'm wondering how in the world she got so old so fast (or maybe it's me that is getting old so fast - hmmm)!  It is also my Dad's 70th birthday - how cool is that?!  (Note: the inside is shown below).

I used the following challenges to help me put together her birthday card and I think she is going to really love it:

MOJO Monday 252 - Round or Square

Pals Paper Arts #140

Lollipop Crafts - Celebration Theme

Paper Play Challenges - Week 31 - Layer It Up!

Of course I knew I was going to choose the MOJO252 Round option right away.  I love round cards and I just thought it would make it that much more special for a birthday card because its unusual to get a round card (I think).  The colors... well...at first I wasn't sure how I was going to combine the colors from PPA140 - color challenges are definitely a personal "challenge" for me sometimes.  But I had this great DSP called Patio Party with the Summer Starfruit color and decided to make that my main color and work the other two into it with the layers.  I added some texture to the cupcake liners with my score pal - it's kind of hard to see in the photo (those little pieces were hard to keep straight - next time I'll score a piece first and then use my punch- duh!).  I used lots of punches on this card for my layers: the Cupcake builder punch, the Owl builder punch (small heart), the scalloped edge border punch, the 1 3/8" circle and the 1 1/4" circle punches.  The Scalloped card is made using my Sizzix Scallop Circle die and the two larger circles are from Spellbinders.  The sentiment is from my "go to" set called Petite Pairs.  Here is how I finished the inside:

Well better go for now so I can get the gifts wrapped and put on my party hat :o)  Don't want to be late for cake - LOL!  Thanks so much for stopping by to visit my blog today - I'm sure glad that you did!  Hope you saw something that inspired you today!  Hugs! 

Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Non Traditional Colors

Hello Friends and Happy Monday!  Today I have a CAS christmas card to share that uses some non-traditional colors for the Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge - Show Us Your (Non-Traditional) Colors.
I would say the color combo of yellow, kraft and black are definitely non-traditional, but aren't they fun together?  Not too much to say about this card really as far as technique goes - lol.  It was amazingly simple to put together really.  I layed the letters out where I wanted them and then drew a very thin line so I could stamp "Christmas" where I wanted it to be and then adhered the chipboard stickers, and added three little yellow rhinestones.  The darling hat belongs to the snowman on the inside.  I was afraid that I wouldn't get it right where I wanted it on the card so I stamped it separately and then snipped it out and glued it on the card base above the letter right where I wanted it.  Here's a pic of the inside too:

The hat and snowman are from a retired SU set.  The sentiment on the inside is also from SU from a set called Snow Buddies.  I am delighted with how this card turned out - hope you like it too!   Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog today - I'm sure glad that you did!! Til next time - Hugs to you!

Create 4 Fun Color Challenge 58 (CR84FN58)

Hello friends - happy Tuesday!  I am participating for the first time in the CR84FN Color Challenge which calls for Yellow, Red and a Neutral.  My yellows are So Safron (card base) and Daffodil Delight (sunflower) and my Red is Cherry Cobbler.  My neutral is Early Espresso.  Here is the inspiration photo from CR84FN 58:

I took inspiration from the big flowers in the photos to make my card.  I wanted to try a distressed look for a friend who loves that style, so I roughed up the edges and curled a few corners with my paper piercer.  I also added some ink on top of the embossing and a little around the main image as well as some "splots" of color (maybe a bit too many??) using my color spritzer tool and an Early Espresso marker.   This is not my usual style but it was fun to make.  My husband came up to my craft room as I was roughing up the edges and said "you look like you're having fun." (I really did Create 4 Fun!).  I think my friend will like it. Hope you do too!  Thanks for stopping in to visit me today - I'm sure glad that you did! Hugs!

Supplies (all from Stampin Up!): Cardstock - So Safron, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso.  Stamp - Sunflower and Petite Pairs (sentiment).  Ink colors - Daffodil Delight, Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso.  Circle punches - 1" and 1 1/4".  Textured Embossing Folder - Argyle (new).  Buttons - Naturals designer buttons (new).

A Clean and Simple Card for Color Throwdown #200 (CTD200)

Hello and Happy Monday!  I was delighted when I woke up this morning and didn't have trouble getting out out bed.  I was just sure that after my 2 1/2 hour hike yesterday that my legs weren't going to want to function this morning.  They are a little stiff - but I'm not waddling or complaining - so it's gonna be a great day - LOL! 

I have mentioned that color challenges are actually one of the hardest for me to do - especially when there are more than 3 colors to work with.  I think that there are many of you out there like me too.  But I love to keep challenging myself creatively so I try to find atleast one each week to try.  I've been watching the Color Throwdown Challenges for awhile and decided to try it this time because it's their 200th celebration and the design team cards are just wonderful - I couldn't pass it up.   Here is the inspiration - how fun is this?!?

Because I was already challenging myself in the aspect of incorporating the four fun colors, I decided to go for a clean and simple approach with my card and concentrate on the colors more than the papers or embellishments (oh - have I mentioned that CAS is also a challenge for me?) - and this is what I came up with. 

I really like it and am proud of myself for keeping it CAS! Thanks so much for stopping by to visit today - I'm sure glad that you did!  Hope you saw something that inspired you.  Did I mention that they are giving away blog candy at CTD200?  Check it out and play along if you are so inspired.  Hugs!

Supplies (all from Stampin Up!):  Cardstock - Whisper White and Temptin Turquoise.  Stamp (image and sentiment) -  On the Grow (retired).  Staz On Black ink. Classic inks (colored in with blender pen) - Tempting Turquoise, Chocolate Chip, Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, Certainly Celery and Basic Grey.  I colored the three little rhinestones with a TT marker.  Sizzix Dies - Labels Collection Framelits.