Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Tasty Tropics

Welcome to the second Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge for June.   This inspiration picture is particularly close to my heart as I grew up in the tropics and we often drank "pipas" :)   As kids, I remember trips to the beach and being mesmerized while watching a man/boy climb up a palm tree with a machete between his teeth, get to the top, cut a few coconuts down and then come back down the palm tree.  Then, he would use the same machete to cut the top off the coconut, insert a straw and give it to us so we could drink the fresh coconut water in the coconut.  And that was years ago before coconut water became all the rage LOL!  Use the inspiration photo however you wish and by whatever inspires you.

For my card today, I had to go with that gorgeous orchid and surrounding colours to create my own tropical flower.  Used PTIs flower die, added a doily to pick up the brown and two yellow banners for the yellow center in the second flower.  Bold and bright and my tribute to the tropics :)  

TASTY TROPICS

Guest Designer

 Sonja Kerkhoffs, The Art of Stamping

Amy Kolling

Amy Tsuruta

Betty Wright

 Kim Singdahlsen

Laurie Willison

Leigh Penner

Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler 
Lynn Magnan

Marisa Ritzen

Maureen Plut

Melody Rupple

Monika Davis

Sheri Gilson

Stacey Schafer
Tara Godfrey

Tracey McNeely

Have fun with the challenge and I look forward to seeing your creations in the Curtain Call gallery.





 

What's In It?
Stamps:  Frilly Flowers (PTI), Best Yest (Stampin' Up) 
Paper:   Tan and Yellow (LSS)
Ink:  Orchid Opulence, Green Galore, Black (Stampin' Up)   
Accessories:  Frilly Flower Die (PTI), Doily Die (Top Dog Dies), Stitched Rectangle Die (Lil' Inker), Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Mojo Monday #423

Lots of layers on today's sketch, and I opted to go with another fall themed card with my beloved maple leaves.  After the torrential rain we had this weekend, there are not many many maple leaves left on the tress which means it will be a soggy raking experience this coming week - ugh!  In the meantime, I will enjoy the paper version {grin}.

Mixed and matched some papers into a somewhat monochromatic colour scheme, added a stitched circle for a bit of texture, a die cut sentiment and two maple leaves and a button for a pop of colour.

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also view all the wonderful Mojo Makers samples.  Should you wish more details on the Mojo Maker's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.

Carole Burrage

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (that's me)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Justin Krieger

Lori Tecler

Wanda Cullen

Enjoy the sketch and have a fabulous week! 



 
 

What's In It?
Stamps:   Leaf Prints (PTI), Woodgrain (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Stella and Rose, On The Bright Side (MME), Snap (Simple Stories), Kraft (Stampin' Up),
Ink:   Rudy Red, Always Artichoke, VersaMark (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Scalloped Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Stitched Circles (Lil' Inkers), Happy Hellos Die Set (MFT), Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Mojo Monday #411

We had a very slight smattering of rain last night and temperatures have dropped about twelve degrees Celcius (24F) and since it was feeling a bit closer to fall than summer when I sat down to make this card, fall won out LOL.

Still desperately short on my birthday card stash so make another one using this fabulous Birthday to You Plain Jane.  Out came my leaf dies for accents and a few sequins and buttons to finish things off.

All the challenge details are over on the Mojo Monday blog and you can also view all the wonderful Mojo Makers samples.  Should you wish more details on the Mojo Maker's cards, you can also visit their individual blogs noted below.

 

Carole Burrage

Julee Tilman (Owner)

Marisa Ritzen (that's me)

Mary Fish

Sarah Biglow

Teresa Kline

Justin Krieger

Lori Tecler

Wanda Cullen

Hard to believe it is the middle of August and September is quickly approaching - yikes!!  Still lots to squeeze out of summer, but we are all hoping for some much needed rain!  In all the years I have lived here, I have never experienced a summer like this one!

Have a fabulous day, and hope you can squeeze some time in to play along :)






What's In It?
Stamps:   Birthday To You Plain Jane (Verve Stamps), Leaf Prints (PTI)
Paper:  Recollections (Michael's), I Heart Summer (Simple Stories), Old Olive, Read Red, Always Artichoke, So Saffron (Stampin' Up)
Ink:   Always Artichoke, VersaMark 
Accessories:  Stitched Rectangles (Lil' Inker), Leaf Print Dies (PTI), Buttons, Twine, Sequins, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Burlap Banner Reminder

Time for our mid point, Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge Burlap Banner reminder.   Still lots of time to play, and here is my second take on the challenge.

I decided to have fun with some burlap this time round.   After all, it is in the challenge title LOL!  Pulled out my stash and made a fish tail banner instead of a pendant one.  With all the glorious fall colours beginning to emerge on our maple tree lined street, I had leaves on the brain so went with it (plus I have been neglecting my favorite leaf dies just a bit wink, wink).

The maple leaf is actually dark chocolate brown, even though it does look black in the photo.  Used our sponsor, The Twinery's, orange twine for my accent colour, and it wasn't until after the photo was being edited that I noticed the one twine "tail" on the button bow was crossing over into my sentiment- sorry about that!   As a side note, I coloured in the skull and crossbones image on the bottom border hexagons as it just didn't fit my theme.  The many uses of my black, felt pen LOL!

Love to have you come and join us if you have not already!

What's In It?
Stamps:   Autumn Acorns, Leaf Prints, Modern Wood Mats (PTI)   
Paper:  Thrilling (Authentique), Early Espresso, Only Orange, Kraft (Stampin' Up), Cream Linen
Ink:  Black
Accessories:  Leaf Prints and Labels Die (PTI), Burlap, Twine (Twinery), Button, Glue Dot, Dimensionals 

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Lovely Leaves Reminder

Fall cards are often a "no-brainer" for me as most times, I simply reach for PTI's Leaf Prints and matching dies and go from there.  This card was no exception.  Maximized the number of wonderful fall colours and then added my beloved leaves to the mix.  Happy sigh... :)    Just wish raking them off my lawn when they fall would be as much fun as putting them on cards LOL!

We'd love to have you play along if you haven't already.  You have until September 10th to link your card to the Curtain Call Blog. The LEAD and Show Stoppers for this challenge will be announced on September 14th, and our next challenge will begin on September 15th.

Have a great day!


 
 
What's In It?  
Stamps:  Leaf Prints and Modern Wood Mats (PTI)
Paper:  Stella and Rose, Collectible (My Mind's Eye), Real Red, Old Olive, Only Orange, So Saffron, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up) 
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Black (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Leaf Print and Labels Dies (PTI), Scalloped Circle and Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Crimper (Fiskars), Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #249 - Trend Week

We are moving into our new format so this week's trend challenge is wood grain.  You can use wood grain paper, a wood grain embossing folder or a stencil, whatever your heart desires.

I always enjoy working with wood grain.  This time round, I opted for some paper from MME's Gnome Sweet Gnome paper pad as it had a fabulous wood grain pattern.

Of course, where there is wood grain there are often leaves wink, wink, so I jumped at the chance to use my PTI leaf dies again.   I stamped them in three different colours after die cutting them out and  formed a leaf cluster.  The sentiment is a stamp I picked up from the Michael's $1 stamp bin a few years back.

The rest of the  JUGS team along with our new, July Guest Designer, Rebekka Reed, have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Simply create a card using the sketch and link it up to the JUGS blog for a chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Remember, if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

We are all totally exhausted after a week of VBS at our church -- 410 kids can do that to you LOL!  However, our hearts are full and it was an amazing week with many wonderful memories.  So fun to serve with my kids :)  Going to be a very low key, quiet weekend I think! 


 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Leaf Prints (PTI), Michael's Dollar Stamp   
Paper:   Gnome Sweet Gnome (My Mind's Eye), Kraft, Cream
Ink:  Black, Real Red, Only Orange, Old Olive (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Leaf Print Dies (PTI), Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #244

This week's sketch is provided by Nancy and when I saw the four square panels, I thought of PTI's Autumn Acorns set, which I haven't used for way too long since it usually only comes out in the Fall.

Simple card using the set and matching dies and oh how I love working with these colours...happy sigh....{grin}.

The rest of the  JUGS team along with our new, June Guest Designer Shirley-Bee, have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Simply create a card using the sketch and link it up to the JUGS blog for a chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Remember, if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Wishing you a fabulous weekend! 


 
What's In It?
Stamps: Autumn Acorns (PTI) 
Paper:   Kraft, Early Espresso (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Black, Really Rust, Old Olive, Close to Cocoa (Stampin' Up) 
Accessories:  Autumn Acorns Die Set (PTI), Wood Grain Embossing Folder (Tim Holtz), Black Half Pearls, Twine, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #241 - Colour Challenge

This week we have a colour challenge for you over at Just Us Girls.  I must say, Orchid is not one of my staple colours and I didn't have time to go digging so I opted for the stamped version of the colour instead.

I pulled out PTI's Frilly Flowers which I haven't used in a long time and went to work.  I stamped the flower with two shades of orchid for a slight variation on on the flower and added a pearl center.  Some kraft leaves and sentiment, along with PTI's Linen Impression plate (which is not show up too well in the photo) and I was good to go.

Reminds me of the gorgeous flowers we saw in Hawaii :)   Speaking of which, I haven't forgotten about sharing some pictures, it's just that I have just been crazy busy since we got back and haven't had time to wade through all three hundred plus pictures.  They have made it from the camera to the computer so we are moving along LOL!  Now just the editing and selecting remains.  If time permits, I hope to get to them this weekend.

The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our May Guest Designer Barbara Campbell have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Wishign you a fabulous day!

 
 
What's In It?
Stamps:  Frilly Flowers (PTI)
Paper:  Kraf (Stampin' Up)   
Ink:  Orchid Opulence, Marvelous Magenta 
Accessories:  Frilly Flowers Dies and Linen Impression Plate (PTI), Happy Hellos (My Favorite Things), Corner Rounder (Marvy), White Half Pearls, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #224 - Colour Challenge

 

This week's colour challenge is brought to us by Vicki.  I love this colour combination of kraft, marina mist and baja breeze.  Since I don't own the two blues I improvised with what I had on hand.

This Sketch Saturday sketch was a fun one as was using some PTI goodies that haven't seen ink in some time.   Dug into my stash (trying to use up what I have rather than buy new) and found these paper flowers which Michael's used to sell and they were a nice finishing touch.

Sorry, got sidelined there wink, wink.  The rest of the  JUGS team, along with our January  Guest Designer Geraldine Bailly, have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog and check out what they've created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.  Plus if you are chosen as Chic of the Week, you could be invited to be a Guest Designer.

Busy day today with a soccer game and then a family dinner to celebrate some birthdays - mine included :)   Wishing you a great one!


 
What's In It?
Stamps:   Polka Dot Basics II, Signature Greetings (PTI)
Paper:  Kraft, Cool Caribbean, Teal  (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black, Versamark
Accessories:  Doily Details Die (PTI), Large Monarch Butterfly Punch (Martha Stewart), Recollections Paper Flowers (Michael's - Discontinued), Brown Half Pearls (Michael's), Glue Dots, Dimensionals 

Just Us Girls #209

 

Welcome to this week's Just Us Girls challenge.  In honor of World Card Making Day, we have a sponsor.  A Walk Down Memory Lane  is providing a $15 gift certificate to this week's Chic of the Week!  Worth playing for indeed.

Since it's fall and I have been neglecting my beloved maple leaf stamps and dies, it is time to rectify that issue {grin}.

I used the small maple leaf image from PTI's Leaf Prints (oh how I love this set!!) and fussy cut the maple leaves out as there is no small maple leaf die in the matching die set.  I also used this wonderful hello die set from My Favorite things which was a gift from Debbie Carriere - thank you, Debbie!! I love this die set ((hugs))!

I fudged the sketch just a bit by adding a third maple leaf, but it just "had" to be done LOL!  I added the "Autumn" sentiment banner under the "hello" using a partial sentiment from Verve's Autumn Splendor.  Three stamp companies on one card - sharing the wealth today :)

The rest of the  JUGS team, including our three new DT member's, have some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog, and check out what the Design Team has created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week.   

Off to watch my son's soccer game and then over to my mom's to celebrate all the September and August family birthdays (five birthdays in total!).  Then, definitely scheduling a down day tomorrow after an insanely busy past two weeks!  We flew to Edmonton for my hubby's niece's wedding a weekend ago, and as fate would have it, hubby brought the stomach flu into our house the week before we were to fly out.  He got it Saturday night, my daughter got it on Tuesday night a puked all night long (insert little sleep for both of us), and then just when I thought we were clear, my son got it Thursday night, the night before we were to fly to Edmonton, and was puking a good part of the night as well (insert, second night with very little sleep).  Note to self:  remind son/assist son with actually hitting the bucket when he pukes so you don't have to clean your carpet at 3:00 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. 

Thankfully, the puking subsided in the early morning so we were able to fly out for the wedding the next morning.  Needless to say, I am eternally grateful for Gravol LOL!  I doped him up and he was a real trooper on the trip!  We even managed to make it there without incident - phew!  Poor little guy missed most of the festivities as well as the wedding reception (he was in bed sleeping for the most part), but was able to enjoy the family gathering on Sunday and gleefully consumed a ton of dinner buns and other goodies as his tummy had finally settled down enough for him to be able to eat again.  Knock on wood, I don't get it!! 

Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday with my card for contest week over on the Mojo Monday blog. 



What's In It? 
Stamps:  Autumn Splendor (Verve Stamps), Leaf Prints (PTI) 
Paper:  Stella and Rose (My Mind's Eye), Kraft, Mellow Moss and Early Espresso (Stampin' Up), Cream Linen
Ink:  Black, Always Artichoke, Only Orange, Rudy Red (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:   Happy Hellos Dynamics (My Favorite Things), Woodgrain Embossing Folder (Tim Holtz), Twine, Buttons, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #205

 

This week's challenge is brought to us by Vicki and she has provided this sketch for us to work with.

I played along with the Fab Friday colour pallet as I was getting giddy about the thought of using my maple leaf die for the first time this year!  Beware, a small foreshadowing of things to come wink, wink!

I used a combination of Teresa Collins and MME papers and added my beloved maple leaf - happy sigh....

The rest of the  JUGS team has some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so head on over to the Just Us Girls blog, and check out what the Design Team has created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week. 

The first week of school is now done and I have one very happy, bouncy boy who is thrilled to be in high school, and one very stressed out and emotional girl who hates going to high school. Nothing like dealing in extremes.  Praying hard my daughter finds a good friend this year as that is the crux of her issue.  Until then, I'm thankful for texting so I can be there for her.  Think we all need a bit of down time this weekend :)    

Gotta run, off to my son's first soccer game of the season and on to day five of my 21 day Go Fit Gals workout/meal plan.  They have some amazing recipes which I will definitely be introducing into our regular meals!  I'm also pretty sure I have shed at least five pounds of sweat - the workouts are amazing!  I would definitely recommend this program! 

Have a great weekend everyone!

What's In It? 
Stamps:  Leaf Prints (PTI), Stampin' Up
Paper:  Memorabilia (Teresa Collins), Sic by Six (My Mind's Eye) So Saffron, Only Orange, Early Espresso, Shara Sand (Stampin' Up)
Ink:  Black, Creamy Caramel (Stampin' Up) 
Accessories:   Medium Scallop and Leaf Dies (PTI), Oval Nestability (Spellbinders), Crimper, Brown Half Pearls, Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

PTI Blog Hop ~ July 2013

This month's PTI BLog Hop had some great colour combos to chose from and I immediately gravitated towards this fabulous citrus combination because these colour just make me happy :)

I paired it with last week's Pal Paper Arts sketch (after rotating it to a horizontal orientation) and pulled out various papers that matched the required colours.

Dawn's Fabulous Signature Greetings, a leaf image from Turning a New Leaf, and my all time favorite Beautiful Blooms II flower die pulled together the sentiment panel.  One more pop of colour with this fabulous orange grosgrain ribbon and I called it a card.

Thanks for popping in today and I look forward to seeing everyone else's choice of colour combination to work with.



What's In It?  
Stamps:  Turning a New Leaf, Signature Greetings (PTI)
Paper:  Lime Twist (My Mind's Eye), Dots and Stripes (Echo Park), So Saffron and SU DSP (Stampin' Up), Yellow Dots (Bazzill Basics), Cream Linen  
Ink:  Black, Certainly Celery
Accessories:  Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Flower Beautiful Blooms II  Flower Die (PTI), 5/8 " Orange Grosgrain Ribbon, Crimper (Fiskars), Button, Twine, Glue Dot, Dimensionals

Just Us Girls #193 - Colour Challenge

 

Nancy is this week's Just Us Girl's hostess and she has chosen a wonderful mix of colours to work with:  harvest gold, aqua, kraft, and white.  Yummy!

I didn't have any aqua or harvest gold paper so I had to do a bit of subbing, but I think it worked okay.  Pulled out fun Freshly Made Sketch which I have been wanting to use and went to work.  

Verve's Petals and Stems, one of my very first Verve sets, was needing some love so out it came.  A bit of twine and a tag for a little something and I was good to go.  Quick and easy card.

The rest of the  JUGS team has some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so just hop on over to the Just Us Girls blog, and check out what the Design Team has created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be chosen as the Chic of the Week. 

Have a great weekend everyone, and I'll be back on Monday with my Mojo Monday card.




What's In It?
Stamps:  Petals and Stems (Verve Stamps), Tiny Tags (PTI)
Paper: Kraft, Bashful Blue, So Saffron
Ink:  Sahara Sand, Bashful Blue, So Saffron 
Accessories:  Tiny Tags Die (PTI), Twine (Twinery), Buttons, Twine, Glue Dots, Dimensionals

CAS(E) This Sketch Baby Card

 

A fun sketch to work with over on the CAS(E) This Sketch blog this week, so I decided to play along.

The sketch is perfect for word dies and after digging through mine, I decided to go with blessed.  Love this word :)

Decided to make a baby card, and went heavy on the pretty in pink LOL!  The cute bear is from Verve's To The Moon set.

Wishing you a fabulous day. I'm trying to get over a nasty cold that wiped me out!  I don't get sick very often so when I do, I'm not a happy camper, or fun to be around according to my family ;)  All the more reason to get better soon LOL!

Have a fabulous day! 



What's In It?
Stamps:  To The Moon (Verve Stamps), Tiny Tags (PTI) 
Paper:  Pretty in Pink, Rose Romance, Blush Blossom, DSP (Stampin' Up), Small Dots (Making Memories) 
Ink:  Black 
Accessories:  Tiny Tags and Word Die (PTI), Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Twine

Just Us Girls #191

Welcome to this week's Just Us Girls challenge - a sketch challenge hosted by Elise.

I  took quite a bit of "creative license" on the sketch (sorry Elise!) because I really wanted to use this PTI flower die again as the sketch immediately brought it to mind.

I paired the sketch with this week's  Color Throwdown and after popping up all six layers of the  flower, it is definitely a "fluffy" flower LOL!

The rest of the  JUGS team has some wonderful samples to get your inspiration going, so just hop on over to the Just Us Girls blog, and check out what the Design Team has created.  Then put your creative genes to work and add your card/project to the challenge post on the JUGS blog for the chance to be selected as Chic of the Week.  




What's In It?
Stamps: Frilly Flowers (PTII), Circular Sayings (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Going Grey, White
Ink:  Black, Going Grey, Pink Passion, Summer Sun (Stampin' Up)
Accessories:  Frilly Flower and Edger Dies (PTI), 5/8" Turquoise Satin Ribbon, Black Half Pearls, Button, Twine (Twinery), Glue Dot, Dimensionals