Grateful Thanks - Colour Q and Paper Smooches Challenges

I have two cards to share tonight.  Two cards for two challenges. 

First up is a card I created for Colour Q challenge.  I used Stampin' Up inks to watercolor, which I don't do often.  But it works!  The color palette . . .

Here is my card . . .

And my sequins matched up pretty nicely too.  I love it when things come together.  

And then next up is a little something for Paper Smooches Challenge.  I've not participated in one for a while, and I started out creating a wreath using one of their stamps sets.  I was inspired by their inspiration photo . . .

But it went in a different direction, as you'll see below.  

I was inspired to cut pieces of my wreath with a circle punch, and then piece it all back together.  If you look closely, I did match up the pieces.  It's tough to tell . . . but I swear.  It was puzzle time for me.  

I hope you find some time to create today. 

Cheers! 

Supplies Used - Grateful Heart

Stamps:  Happy Scenes (Stampin' Up)

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Hello Honey, and Old Olive (Stampin' Up); Versamark; Black Embossing Powder (Ranger)

Paper:  Solar White (Neenah); Acetate (Graffix)

Accessories:  Hearth & Home Thinlits Dies (Stampin' Up); Autumn Harvest Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh)

Supplies Used - Thanks Friend

Stamps:  Natural Beauties (Paper Smooches)

Ink: Glacier, Sweet Leaf, Bamboo, Poppy, Goldrush, Saddle and Buttercup (Close To My Heart)

Paper:  Desert Storm (Neenah)

Accessories:  Bronze Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh); Circle Punch (Fiskars)

All About Color

Sharing two more cards with you tonight, and both of them were for color challenges. 

First up was Color Throwdown's challenge.  The color inspiration is below with my supply list.  Here is my card . . .

 For this card I used one stamp and some splattering to create a background on watercolor paper.  It was a fun background to create using distress inks. 

For my second card, another color inspiration, only this one from Colour Q, which you will see with my supply list below.  

What was fun about this card is that it started with a piece of Neenah Solar White cardstock, and ended with a floral piece that just had hints of white.  This could not be darker!  I love how it turned out. 

This was a fun card to create, and I would definitely try it again.  It's a different look for sure, but I really love it.  

 Some really fun techniques.  I hope you found some time to create over this past weekend . . . and if not, schedule yourself for some creative time. 

Supplies Used - Hello

Stamps:  Yay Kites (Lawn Fawn) and Celebrating You (Clearly Besotted)

Ink: Mowed Lawn, Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink (Ranger); Onyx Black (Versafine);

Paper:  Bubblegum, Licorice and Marshmallow Cardstock (The Stamps of Life), Watercolor Paper (Canson)

Accessories:  Chevron Washi Tape (American Crafts), Sparkling Clear Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh); Ranger Clear Embossing Powder; 

 

Supplies Used - Beautiful Day

Stamps:  You're So Lovely (Hero Arts);

Ink: Versamark; Poppy (Close To My Heart); Pistachio Pudding, Basic Gray, Basic Black (Stampin' Up)

Paper:  Licorice Cardstock (The Stamps of Life); Basic Gray Cardstock (Stampin' Up); Solar White (Neenah)

Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder (Ranger); Charcoal Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh)

A Couple of Colour Challenges using Studio Calico

I have two projects to share in this post, and both were created for color challenges using kit supplies from Studio Calico. 

First up a card for Colour Me, a gorgeous combination of colors . . .

And here is my card . . .

Now this is not my typical style of card.  For someone reason, Studio Calico's kits always have me stepping outside of my comfort zone.  I created my own background paper with the X's and O's in the colors of the challenge.  I actually used two of my Studio Calico kits . . . Far Far Away and the newest kit, Galileo. Love that little bunny!  

My second card was created for the Colour Q challenge.  Here is there awesome color palette . . .

For this card I went more with the darker blue. 

I used supplies from the Far Far Away kit from Studio Calico.  The yellow is a bit buried in that pineapple, which was stamped on a yellow pattern paper.  

Love that light blue, satin, scallop border. 

Hope you found some time to create this weekend. 

Supplies Used - XOXO Sweet

Supplies for this card came from:

• Studio Calico Galileo Card Kit
• Far Far Away Card Kit

Additional supplies:

• Bazzill Cardstock
• Simon Says Stamp Circle Stitch Dies
• Versamark and Ranger Embossing Powder
• Hero Arts Ink and Stampin' Up Ink

Supplies Used - You're So Sweet

Supplies for this card came from Studio Calico Far Far Away Card Kit

Additional supplies:

• Versamark and Ranger Embossing Powder
• Stampin' Up Ink
• Inktense Pencils

Misti Stamping for Colour Q

Have you heard of the MISTI?  If not, I encourage you to do some research to see if the MISTI might be for you. 

I set out today to create a card for The Colour Q challenge, and my goal was to create my own background.  I used the MISTI for even spacing of my border stamp on the paper.  I was really pleased with the results. 

 I started by stamping all of my Coastal Cabana borders, then centered the Strawberry Slush images between them, and from there moved onto the Tangerine Tango and then Daffodil Delight.  The MISTI was awesome once I got comfortable with the distances I needed.

The MISTI is also great for mass producing cards and for making sure your ink coverage is great, as it allows you to stamp in the very same spot multiple times for great coverage when those ink pads are getting a bit dry. 

Highly recommend you check it out at My Sweet Petunia! 

Hope you find some time to create today. 

Supplies Used - Hello

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up

Stamps:  Because You Care from Stampin' Up

Dies:  Deco Labels from Stampin' Up

Ink:  Stampin' Up, Versamark and Ranger White Embossing Powder

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins, MISTI from My Sweet Petunia

A Bunny and a Gem

Two cards to share today for some challenges that are out there.  The first is a card for My Favorite Things sketch challenge.  Here is their sketch . . .

And here is my card . . . 

I used some pattern papers from DCWV along with my stamps and dies from My Favorite Things. 

And second up today is a card for Colour Q challenge.  Their colors this week . . .

Here is my card . . .

For this one I used supplies from a Studio Calico kit from last year.  

Hope you found some time to be creative today!  

 

Supplies Used - Somebunny Sending You Hugs

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  DCWV

Stamps:  Somebunny Stamp Set from My Favorite Things

Dies:  Stitched Speech Bubble Edges and Somebunny Die-namics from My Favorite Things

Ink:  Hero Arts and Copic Markers

Ribbon:  Twine from The Stamps of Life

Other:  Flowers from The Paper Studio and Sequins from Pretty Pink Posh

Supplies Used -  You're a Gem

Supplies used for this card were from Studio Calico's Poet Society Card Kit including cardstock, pattern paper, small rhinestone stars, and the included stamp set from the kit. 

Other supplies added (not from kit):  Cardstock and Twine from The Stamps of Life

A Merry Little Wish

I played along with this week's Colour Q Challenge.  The colors for this week are Poppy Parade, Coastal Cabana, Always Artichoke, Baked Brown Sugar and White.  Here is my card . . .

White and Always Artichoke definitely have the starring roles on this card, with the other three colors playing bit parts . . . just a splash of color.  I do love the cardinal!  The photo below shows the sparkle of the gold garland and the snow. 

Hope you find some time to create! 

Supplies Used - A Merry Little Wish

Cardstock:  Neenah

Stamps:  Festival of Trees from Stampin' Up

Ink:  Stampin' Up, Versamark and Ranger Gold Embossing Powder

Other:  Tree Punch from Stampin' Up and Ice Stickles

Color Challenge Inspiration

I have three color challenge cards to share today, and all were created using my October Studio Calico kit, so you'll see some similarities in the colors.  

The first card was inspired by the colors in the Color Throwdown Challenge #318 (the color palette is posted further below with my supply list).  For this one, I used the sketch (also below) from this week's Mojo Monday. 

The darker blue color is hard to see in the photo . . . it is the inking of the paper and the blue script in the pattern paper. 

The second card is very similar to the first, but has a slightly different color variation which is from this week's Colour Me Challenge (palette is posted below).

 Similar paper and stamps, with a few different elements.  I love the wood veneer heart and the "hello" tile from the kit! 

And then finally, my third card was inspired by the colors in the Colour Q Challenge.  This one had a very deep orange/red shade (Dusty Durango) which allowed me to use the apple stamp that was in the kit.  Since I didn't have Dusty Durango ink, I used the closest thing to it . . . Tangerine Tango.  My apple looks a little on the orange side, but I think it still looks like an apple. 

I was back and forth on whether I should put the sentiment in the apple, create another element such as a banner or a circle, but in the end decided the sentiment on that pattern paper would be the best option.  Once I placed that little veneer heart on the apple, it all came together! 

One kit . . . four challenges . . . three cards!  I hope you find some time to create.  

Supplies Used - Thinking of You

Cardstock:  Neenah*

Pattern Paper:  Paislee Press* and Studio Calico*

Stamps:  1canoe2 for Studio Calico*

Ink:  Stampin' Up, Versamark, and Ranger White Embossing Powder

Other:  Kraft Die Cut Label* and Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

*from Studio Calico Walden Card Kit

Supplies Used - Nuts About You

Cardstock:  Neenah* and Bazzill

Pattern Paper:  Paislee Press* and Studio Calico*

Stamps:  1canoe2 for Studio Calico*

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Kraft Die Cut Label*, Wood Veneer Heart* and Plastric Strips*

*from Studio Calico Walden Card Kit

Supplies Used - Apple of My Eye

Cardstock:  Neenah*

Pattern Paper:  Paislee Press* and Studio Calico*

Stamps:  1canoe2 for Studio Calico*

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Other:  Wood Veneer Heart* and Floss from We R Memory Keepers

*from Studio Calico Walden Card Kit

You Are Amazing for Colour Q

I fell in love with the combination for Colour Q and couldn't wait to get started, but then I sat struggling with where to begin.  I pulled out all sorts of stamps and had a few things in mind, and then I came upon a brown bag full of stamps that I had one for a challenge and had my "aha moment."
 

The Colour Q combination is Coastal Cabana, More Mustard, Island Indigo and one of my favorites . . . Poppy Parade.  I just love how these images came out in the varying colors.  The stamps has some florals that are slightly shaded which really adds to the image. 

What looks like a button at the bottom is actually a smiley face (hard to see in the photo) embellishment.

Hope you find some time to create! 

Supplies Used - ColourQ You Are Amazing

Cardstock:  Stampin' Up and Neenah

Stamps:  All About Hope (from Unity) and an unidentified stamp (from Unity)

Ink:  Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  Lawn Fawn Cord Twine

Other:  Ki Smiley Embellishment

Watercolor Creation for MFT and colourQ

I am absolutely loving the look of watercolor creations, and I wanted to try my hand at it to create a card using the Grand Peaceful Wildflowers set and the sketch posted by MFT's Wednesday's Stamp Club. The inspiration for my color palette came from colourQ. 

What I love most about watercolor creations is that your image looks different each and every time based on the amount ink, the amount of water and the amount of pressure.  I just love how these images came out on these tiny 3/4" squares. 

I've been bit by the watercolor bug! 

The sketch and the palette . . .

           +             

Supplies Used - Watercolor Flowers

Cardstock:  Neenah, Bazzill, and Strathmore Watercolor

Pattern Paper:  Close To My Heart

Stamps:  MFT Grand Peaceful Wildflowers

Dies:  Die-namics Dimensional Banners

Ink:  Stampin' Up and Ranger Archival

Ribbon:  Stampin' Up

Inking Up w/Reverse Confetti

I had some time today to play with some of my Reverse Confetti Stamps and to be inspired by a few challenges.  On the top of my list was the challenge on the Reverse Confetti blog, which was a sketch challenge.  Here is my card . . .

 I am learning to enjoy white space, and this card has some white space.  

Here is the sketch that inspired the card . . .

For my second challenge I combined two challenges, the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches with the colors from Colour Q.

                     

I used stamps to create the vertical border down the left side of my card, and when I inked the edges, I inked based on the the color of the arrows that were showing in that section of the border.  If you look close, the colors change on the edges. 

 I had a lot of fun creating this card, as I love to create a background using stamps.  These colors were fabulous together (thank you, ColourQ)! 

Supplies Used - Happy Birthday to YOU

Cardstock:  Neenah and Bazzill

Pattern Paper:  Imaginisce

Stamps:  Reverse Confetti All About You and Celebrate Cake

Dies:  Reverse Confetti Office Cuts

Ink:  Stampin' Up and Ranger Archival

Other:  Pretty Pink Posh Sequins

Supplies Used - Oh Hello

Cardstock:  Neenah

Pattern Paper:  Stampin' Up

Stamps:  Reverse Confetti Arrows'n Elements

Ink: Stampin' Up

Ribbon:  The Twinery Twine

Other:  Ki Rhinestones