CSS Blog Hop!

Welcome to the GKD CenterStage Spotlight Alumni's December's hop!  Our theme is holiday treat holders!

You should've arrived from Joy's!  If not, head over to the forum at StampTV to start at the beginning!  Make sure to leave a comment as you hop along because on Tuesday morning, December 13, we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that person will receive a huge grab bag of fabulous Gina K. Designs Stamps!

My project is a simple cupcake to-go box filled with cupcakes from the bakery.  Easy peasy!  The top and bottom are scored exactly alike, then the openings for the cupcakes are embossed on top with a Spellbinders' die and sliced side to side with a craft blade.

For the focal image, I cut a petite oval and stamped an image from the StampTV kit, Wishing You Joy.  A few flicks with several Copic markers, and a jewel center for the snowflake, and this simple project is ready for gift -giving.

Your next stop is Carolina's.

Notes:
Gina K Pure Luxury cranberry card stock
StampTV Kit, Wishing You Joy
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink
Nestabilities petite ovals, scalloped circles
Copic markers
sheer ribbon
Kaiser Craft rhinestone

CSS Blog Hop!

The Gina K CenterStage Spotlight Alumni are hosting a great hop with a sketch by our own Melissa Cash!

If you arrived from Joy's, you're on the right track!  If not, head to the StampTV forum to start at the beginning!

My card uses Theresa's set, Strength and Hope, which has beautiful quotes and this gorgeous Awareness butterfly, which raises awareness for all kinds of illnesses depending on the color you choose for the ribbon!

I colored mine with Copic markers, using the feathering technique to color the wings with a gradient ranging from blue to green.  Afterwards, I coated the entire piece with a quickie glue pen and some glitter for lots of sparkle!

Notes:

Gina K Pure Luxury card stock

Basic Grey Sweet Threads designer paper
Strength and Hope

Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink

Copic markers

sheer organza ribbon

paper roses

jute thread

bling

From here, you're visiting Cheri!  Can't wait to see what she's created for us!

Enjoy the hop!

Card Drive for Kids!

I am so delighted to be able to take part in tonight's CenterStage Spotlight hop, a special Card Drive for Kids with Spina Bifida!

You should have arrived here from my friend, Cheri's.  If you didn't, be sure to visit the StampTV forum to start at the top of the hop!

I made my card for a sweet young girl named Bekah!  I had a whole bunch of fun making it really girlie pink!  I hope she will love it!  I figured most young girls like pink, and clothes, and bling!

Notes:

Gina K Pure Luxury Card Stock

Basic Grey Sweet Threads designer paper

Rupa's Warm and Wonderful

Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick distress ink

Nestabilities classic rectangles, large and small

crepe ribbon

jute thread

tulle

pearls

button

snowflake punches

rhinestones

You can participate  in the card drive too!  Here are the details:
Create a fun, uplifting card or cards for one or all the kids listed below (you can click on their names to read more about each of them). The card can be anything cheery, encouraging, supportive, etc.  Please DO NOT send sorry, get well or anything like that. Remember, we want to cheer them up.

The kids:

• Madison: 2 years old
• Logan: 2 years old. (turning 3 on October 17th!!)
• Tanner: 2 years old (turning 3 on December 25)
• Rebekah: 9 years old

All cards need to have a message in it for the child/family. Please also sign your name and where you are from. On the card envelope, write the name of the child. Please, don't seal the envelope, as the parents might want to read the cards before the kids see them.

Mail your card(s) to Giovana along with a piece of paper with your name, address, e-mail address and blog (if you have one). This will help a lot to contact the winner a lot faster!

Giovana Smith
Card Drive for Kids
181 Perry Way
Yakima, WA 98901

Everyone who mails in a card for each of the children will be entered into the drawing to win a grand prize!  There are more than $400 worth of prizes!  Cards must be received by October 31st to be eligible for the drawing.

From here, you're visiting Giovana.  It is Giovana who organized this wonderful event!  Be sure to tell her thank you!  It's a lot of work to be the coordinator of something like this and she deserves lots of kudos!

CSS Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Gina K Designs Centerstage Spotlight Alumni Hop! Carolina issued our designers a double challenge, to make a Fall-themed card with a shaker element.  What a fun challenge this one was!

You should've arrived here from Joy's!  If you have landed in the middle, you really should start at the top!  You can find it at StampTV.

I used a pre-fab shaker dome, which made things a little easier than starting from scratch.  I chose two images from the StampTV kit, Falling For You, along with the sentiment and rake from Theresa's set, The Giving Tree.  The warm golds, oranges and reds of Basic Grey's Indie Bloom designer paper are perfect for Fall and provide a great backdrop for a sprinkling of Flower Soft Autumn leaves.

All that extra Fall lawn work should not go unappreciated!  ;)

Notes: 
Falling For You
The Giving Tree
Gina K Pure Luxury card stock
Basic Grey's Indie Bloom designer paper
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Ranger tea-dye distress ink
Copic markers
Spellbinders classic circles
Autumn Flower Soft
Dotted grosgrain ribbon
Pop Dots

And now you're headed to Cheri's!  Enjoy the hop, and have a great weekend!

CSS Blog Hop!

Welcome to Gina K's CenterStage Spotlight Alumni hop!  You should've arrived from Cheri's...if not, visit the StampTV forum to start at the beginning!

Tonight's hop features an inspiration challenge!  Look at this gorgeous inspiration photo of a luxurious Pier 1 Imports bedroom!  The tufted headboard, wool rug, dressmaker's form, and the cool gray-blue/warm cinnamon-brown color scheme caught my eye.  I love the contrast between dark and light, and the interesting textures throughout the room, which create a semi-formal yet still relaxed atmosphere.

I chose a beautiful floral paper to mimic the rug, and a cool gray-blue solid, cut with a Nestabilities label and scored with a Scor Buddy, to bring the texture of the tufted headboard and quilt to my card.  The gray seemed a bit too cool for the colors of the floral print, so I sponged it with tea-dye distress ink to warm it up slightly before removing it from the die.  I used a lined block to stamp the sentiment, but if you prefer, you can use a stamp-a-ma-jig.

This dress form is one of my all-time favorite GKD images!  Fussy-cutting isn't my thing, but it looks so delicate and feminine that the time it takes to cut out all those beautiful scrolls is well worth the effort!

I really wanted to bring out the warm colors of the inspiration photo with a bit of rust-colored ribbon, but the options I had were either too red or too burgundy so I chose brown instead, accented with a button and jute bow.  Hopefully you can see some correlation between my card and the inspiration photo!

From here you're headed to Giovana's!  Enjoy the hop, and have a fabulous weekend!

Notes:
Gina K Designs Springtime Silhouettes
GKD Pure Luxury card stock in chocolate brown
Basic Grey Curio, Nordic Holiday designer paper pads
Scor Buddy
Memento Rich Cocoa ink
Tim Holtz tea-dye distress ink
Nestabilities Labels 18
Mono multi glue (I use this on all my cards)
Pop Dots (these too!)
crinkle ribbon
button
jute thread

CSS Blog Hop!

Welcome to another fun blog hop being hosted by members of StampTV's Center Stage Alumni. This time around, our hop is based on a Sketch Challenge. If you came from Cheri's blog, then you're right where you should be. You can also go to StampTV to see a list of all those participating.

Here is the sketch we had to work with.  It was created by Melissa Cash who is celebrating her birthday today. We decided to surprise her and design birthday cards using her sketch! We wish you a wonderful birthday, Melissa!

My card for Melissa is made with stamps from the new StampTV kit, Falling for You.  I love this delicate image, and paired it with some pretty floral Sweet Threads designer paper from Basic Grey.  I stamped the image with Memento ink directly on one of the solid colored prints from the pack, then colored it with Copic markers, cut and embossed it with a reverse wonky rectangle, distress inking it before removing the die.  Since I'm traveling with limited supplies I opted to use a single strand of ribbon rather than the three embellishments pictured in the sketch.  Hopefully you still recognize the layout, flipped on its side to portrait orientation!

Notes:

Pure Luxury card stock in ivory and just peachy

Falling for You StampTV kit

Memento ink

Ranger distress ink

Copic markers

Basic Grey Sweet Threads designer paper

Nestabilities reverse wonky rectangle

gingham ribbon

We are also giving away a set! Make sure to leave a comment as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (August 16th), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs to receive a stamp set of their choice valued up to $24.95!

To continue the fun, head on over to Giovana's blog to see her amazing cards!  She always has a WOW to share!  :)

CSS Blog Hop!

This month the CSS team from Gina K Designs was given a great inspiration photo collage by our fabulous coordinator, Carolina!  The colors of these photos from The Party Dress sure do scream Summer, don't they?  Bold yellow sunflowers alongside black and white polka dots and traditional picnic plaid were what captured my eye.

You should have arrived here from Cheri's blog...if you missed the beginning, be sure to start at the Stamp TV forum so you won't miss anything!

For my focal image,  I chose some sunflowers from Nina's set, Lovely Shelf, stamped with Memento ink and colored with Copic markers.  I used a new Spellbinders die to cut and emboss both focal image and the yellow Pure Luxury card stock mat underneath it, sponging the mat with distress ink before removing it from the die.

Hopefully the layout, with its layered rectangular shapes, plaid paper and black ribbon, reminds you of a Summer picnic table dressed in black and white polka dots, a picnic plaid table runner, and yellow place mats with a fresh vase of cheerful sunflowers!  Special thanks to my friend Connie's sweet young daughter for recommending the trio of black rhinestones for the corner!  Perfect, my wee girlfriend!  :)

Notes:
Pure Luxury card stock
Nina's Lovely Shelf
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Vintage Chic (polka dot) designer paper
stitched ribbon
Nestabilities reverse wonky rectangles
Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink
Scrap of red picnic plaid designer paper
scallop edge punch
yellow button
twine
black rhinestones

From here, youre headed for Giovana's!  Enjoy the hop, and have a fabulous weekend!

CSS Blog Hop!

This month's Center Stage Spotlight hop is a great sketch by our very own Melissa Cash!  Isn't this circular design fun?!  I love doing shaped cards...it is so refreshing to do something a little different!

You should have arrived here from Giovana's...with all of blogger's issues, plus our travel to Louisiana Friday (which took about 3 times as long as it was supposed to!) I am arriving late to the party, so you might have come from somewhere else!  If you missed the start, head over to StampTV's forum to catch the beginning.

I used my Grand Calibur and a grand scalloped circle die to form the base of my card, and classic circles small and large for the layers.  The colors for this "green thumb" card were inspired by a pretty floral print from Basic Grey's Sweet Threads paper pack.  I stamped images from What's the Dirt?! on scraps of white PL, colored them with Copics, cut them out and adhered them with pop dots.  A few pearl-centered paper blossoms are sprinkled alongside the fancy tag sentiment and on the gingham bow.  The entire design is light-hearted and happy and just makes me smile!

Notes:
What's the Dirt?
Pure Luxury card stock
Sweet Threads designer paper
Memento ink
gingham ribbon
Bow Easy
pop dots
paper piercer
pearls

From here, you're heading to Cheri's!  I know she's got something fabulous to share with you!

CSS Blog Hop!

It's time for another Gina K Designs Center Stage Spotlight Alumni hop, and you and I are in for a real treat!  It will be so fun to see what beautiful paper creations were inspired by these beautiful premier wedding cookies from Better Bit of Butter!  With a name like that, I bet they taste every bit as delicious as they look!

You should have arrived from Cheri's!  I'm sure she had something scrumptious to share with you!  If you missed the beginning of the hop, start at the StampTV forum!  My blog is #6 on the list, and I know you don't wanna miss any of what comes earlier!

After seeing our inspiration photo, you hopefully will have no doubt which one inspired my card!   It is Premier 3, right there on the top row.  If you'd like a closer look, visit the Better Bit of Butter website and "mouse over" their premier wedding cookie photos.

I was drawn to the bright color combo of this cookie and immediately thought of Asela's Flowers for Daisy, which was one of my very first GKD stamp sets!  I used some old, retired Stampin' Up designer paper to mimic the dotted background, adding an eyelet border and a fancy tags sentiment embellished with a few pearls.  Although it is simple, I love the way it turned out...a little vase of daisies is so delightful, inexpensive enough to enjoy "just because!"  This card inspires that same happy, light-hearted feeling and would work for any occasion at all!

Notes:
Pure Luxury white card stock
retired designer paper from my days as an SU demo
GKD Flowers for Daisy by Asela Hopkins
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Copic markers
Spellbinders fancy tags
pearls
border punch

Your next stop on the hop is Giovana's!  I am looking forward to seeing one of her fabulous cards with her gorgeous layers and stitching!

Enjoy the hop!  Hope to see you again soon!

CSS Blog Hop!

It's another CSS blog hop, and this round we're playing Gina's color spotlight challenge.

You should have arrived here from Cheri's!  I'm sure she had something amazing to share with you!  If you have arrived from elsewhere, be sure to visit the Stamp TV forum to go back to the beginning, because you don't wanna miss any of the inspiration we're sharing!

Each Friday, Gina shares a color spotlight on Stamp TV.  Here are this week's colors.

Maybe it was because we watched the Princess and the Frog not so long ago that I thought of this particular stamp set when I saw these colors!  I love this movie, even though the voo-doo man and his evil companions are quite dark and scary.  My favorite scene is the one with a forest sky glowing by the light of the fireflies!  It is gorgeous!  The music is fabulous, the artwork is wonderful, and in the end, good triumphs over evil.

I stamped this frog prince with Memento ink, colored him with Copic markers, cut/embossed the panel with a circle nestabilities die and softly sponged the edges with tea-dye distress ink.  You can barely tell from this photo that the mushroom cap was stamped again and adhered on foam dots to add some dimension to the focal image.  It provides the "sand" component of my card, along with the Basic Grey Pyrus designer paper.

When I know it's a guy card, I deliberately try to go minimal on embellishments, although here I couldn't resist adding a punched designer paper heart and some rhinestones (colored with Copics) to draw the eye toward this funny sentiment.  That Bobunny blossom sure looks like a big lotus flower!

Notes:
Little Critters stamp set, by Theresa Momber
Memento ink
tea-dye distress ink
Pure Luxury card stock in Fresh Asparagus, White
Basic Grey Pyrus designer paper
Classic circles nestabilities die
rhinestone embellishments (colored with Copics)
adhesive foam dots
Copic markers
Bobunny blossom
heart punch

From here you're headed for my talented friend, Jen's!

CSS Blog Hop!

Welcome to Gina K's Center Stage Spotlight Design Team blog hop! We're paying tribute to the Animal Kingdom!  There are lots of really cute critters, some of 'em brand new and just in time for Spring/Easter!

You should've arrived from Cheri's...and if you didn't, you should start at the StampTV Forum!

My card features a sweet pair of giggling bunnies from Melanie's set, Basket Blessings.  A left-over scrap of some of my favorite Easter designer paper inspired the colors, and the sketch is one from last month.  I sponged the edges of the ocean mist mat to mimic the color variations of the designer paper, and tucked in a few blades of hand-cut grass for the bunnies to nestle in.  The sentiment panel was also sponged with a tiny bit of color, then accented with rhinestones to draw the eye and to balance the colors within the design...a girl's gotta have a little bling, right?!

Notes:
Basket Blessings
Pure Luxury card stock (fresh asparagus, ocean mist and lovely lavender)
Memento ink, Memento Dew Drops
Copic markers
Label 1 Nestabilities
Flower Soft

Your next stop on the hop is Geri's!  Can't wait to see what she has created!

Gina K CSS Blog Hop!

It's time for another Center Stage Spotlight blog hop. You should have arrived here from Cheri's...if not, then start at at the Stamp TV Forum...you don't wanna miss a thing!

This time around we are all making cards inspired by this photo from Southern Living.  My eyes were drawn to the beautiful color combo, the lamp, the swirls on the drawers, and the lettering of the sign.  I knew right away that I wanted to use Nina's set, Lovely Shelf, to make a simple no-frills Valentine for my guys...the "wall hanging" sentiment is from Asela's Dream Birds.  I was hoping the strip of patterned paper would look like a wallpaper border but I'm not so sure that idea translated very well!

Here are the products I used to complete my card:
Pure Luxury card stock
Memento ink
Copic markers
Basic Grey Curio designer paper
Jute

Thanks for visiting!  From here, you will visit Joy!

CSS Blog Hop!

It's time for another Gina K Designs Center Stage Spotlight Blog Hop!  You should have arrived from my sweet friend, Cheri's.  If you haven't come from there, be sure to start at the beginning so you won't miss the amazing creativity of the girls whose blogs are at the top of the hop!

We're playing along with Gina's January 14th Color Spotlight video, although this go-round there are two choices for color combinations!

or

My card uses the adorable cuckoo and sentiment stamps from this month's StampTV Kit.  I paired them with a scrap of Basic Grey Curio designer paper, which had all the right colors for the first option color combo.  I stamped the clock with Memento ink directly onto the sweet corn pure luxury card base and also onto a scrap of ivory card stock.  I colored both with Copic markers, then cut one out (minus the chains and weights) and positioned it atop a heart edged with scallops which frames the sentiment.  I got a brand new Grand Caliber for Christmas (I'm so grateful for this amazing gift!) and I am really loving the depth of the embossing that it achieves in comparison to the other embossing tools that I've used in the past.  

The edges of all the papers were inked with distress ink...certain designer papers just look better with card stock that has been "warmed up and aged" with a little ink, and this is one of 'em!

I ruched some ribbon along the top edge of the designer paper, then added a matching bow and little heart button to unify the design.  It makes a fun not-quite-so-traditional Valentine!  I hope you like it!

Notes:

StampTV kit "Sent With Love"

Pure Luxury card stock in red hot, sweet corn, and fresh asparagus

Basic Grey Curio designer paper

Nestabilities heart, scalloped heart

wavy border punch

Cutterpede paper snips

Copic markers

Gold-lined ribbon assortment

Scor tape (for ruching)

Bow Easy

heart-shaped button

jute thread

Enjoy visiting Giovana's blog next...I'm sure she has something amazing for us to see!

CSS Blog Hop!

I'm so excited to be joining in this Gina K Designs Center Stage Spotlight Design Team blog hop! This time around we found our inspiration in a sketch by my talented friend Melissa Cash.  If you made it here from Cheri's, you're in the right spot!  To start at the beginning, visit the forum at StampTV.

My card is a very clean and simple design using Asela's set, Winter Wings.  I used a nestabilities  oval to cut a window from some kraft card stock to allow the sentiment to peek through from the layer underneath.  I stamped the bird to overhang the edge, and colored/cut another one from ivory card stock to pop up on dimensional dots to add even more depth.  The edges of the kraft card stock were inked with distress ink, but the ivory was left clean and bright like fresh snow for contrast.  It really would have been pretty to add some stamped snowflakes with Versamark or white craft ink, or even feathers from Asela's newest set, but time has been tight so I kept it super simple.  (I actually tried to add some lace, but liked it best without it after all!)

More Notes:

Copic markers

Martha Stewart snowflake punch

Diamond Range Polar White Flower Soft

buttons

jute thread

This photo angle is a little odd and makes the mat look uneven, but I actually took this picture outside the theatre as we were getting ready to go in to see Narnia on opening day!  Didn't want to make us late, so I actually (to the embarrassment of my fellas) took my foam board with me and went back out to the car to take it after we bought our tickets!  Matthew, sweet indulgent son that he is, held the whole set-up for me...it was just beginning to sprinkle, so we were crouched under the open window of the back of the Jeep to stay dry!  I feel lucky the picture turned out useable at all, and I'm glad my card survived!  I am planning to send it to a sweet friend from my church who recently lost her husband...I think it will make a nice sympathy card for her.  I love this verse from Ecclesiastes (are you singing it too?), and the little sparrow reminds me of His care for us.  That will hopefully bring comforting thoughts to Violet as she walks through this Winter of her life.  I would love if you'd whisper a prayer for her and her family, and for others in similar circumstances.  It is especially hard to lose a loved one so close to Christmas.

Thank you for your visit, and for your prayers!  Next on the hop is my friend Jen's!  Can't wait to see what she has for us to feast our eyes upon!

eta:  This card is one of two that I have made for the Order of the Opus Gluei! This week the challenge is to "Get Frosty!" 

Welcome to the GinaK Center Stage Spotlight Design Team's blog hop!  You should have arrived here from Cheri's!  If you're lost, or if you're jumping into the middle, be sure to start at Betty's so you won't miss anything!

This go-round we had a tough multiple criteria challenge:

• clean and simple style with plenty of "white" space
• only one layer (plus the card base)
• one image
• one sentiment
• any number of embellishments, but ALL the SAME COLOR.

Sounds easy until you start working on it!  I can't tell you how many times I grabbed something and had to remind myself of the list and put it down!  In fact, I am hoping the challenge police won't buzz me for that patterned paper.  I thought since her apron was paper-pieced that it would count as a single layer!  Is it legal?

I stamped an image from Asela's set, Sew Pretty, with Memento ink onto ivory pure luxury card stock, then colored and shaded it with Copic markers before using a nestabilities die to cut and emboss a notch from the upper left corner (petite ovals small and large).   Using the next smaller die, I cut and embossed an oval for the sentiment, which was inked with markers directly to the stamp.  All of the edges of both pieces were distress inked to give them a vintage warmth.    I paper-pieced her apron and pocket with a scrap of designer paper, shading them with Copic markers to add some depth to the design.  The focal image was adhered with 1/16 inch foam tape, and the sentiment with 1/8 inch so that it is a little more prominent.  I used some scor-tape to adhere a scrap of lace to the kraft card base, then added various buttons tied in different ways with crochet cotton to finish the design.  I hope you like it!  

Next up for you is Giovana!  Her card is sure to be a feast for your eyes!

CSS Blog Hop!

I canNOT tell you how honored, thrilled and beyond excited I am that the GinaK Designs CenterStage Spotlight design team is using one of my earlier cards as a sketch for this weekend's blog hop! Yipppeeee! I can't WAIT to see what they've done with my layout! The CSS team continually wows me...it is such a pleasure to call them my friends and always an honor to be among them, but especially so this weekend!

You should have arrived here from Cheri's...if you're jumping into the middle, make sure to catch the beginning by heading to Carla's!

Just call me Last Minute Lizzie for this one! Usually I have my card done at least the day before (yep, that's still LML by most standards!) but I just finished this one this afternoon! Things worked out great though! I was planning to take Asela's set, Sew Pretty, with me for our stamping outing this morning (Latisha joined us too), but as I was sorting sets and packing ink, I accidentally laid it aside and left it at home.  Asela offered to share her new set so I picked it up on the way home and hurried up to the studio to ink it up right away! Whew! I don't like being this close to the deadline, but how fun to get to use a brand new image!

Love love LOVE Asela's new set, Winter Wings! Isn't this blue jay just beautiful?!  My coloring is a shameless CASE of hers (with permission!), although I'm not the Copic master that she is! I made a mask and overstamped Nina's music from last Christmas (another favorite) using stamped-off Ranger tea dye ink...it came out a little warmer than the rest of the papers I intended to use, so I sponged everything to try to tie the design together. It looked like a better match until I walked outside into natural light to take the picture! I think I probably could have been a little heavier-handed with the distress ink on the designer paper...it actually matches better IRL!

AND...ugh!  I realized at about 8:30 (when it was pitch dark) that I didn't color this sweet songbird's beak!  So just pretend it's orange, ok?!  I'll have to fix that and take a new picture in the morning!

Notes:

Asela's set, Winter Wings

Nina's set, Vintage Borders

Melissa Frances' Home for the Holidays 6 x 6 designer paper pad

Graphic 45 Christmas Past "The Night Before Christmas" (dots) designer paper

GinaK Pure Luxury card stock (ivory, tan leather, soft sand)

Memento ink

tea dye distress ink, blending tool

Copic markers, white color pencil, stumps and gamsol

MS snowflake punches

Creative Imaginations dark red glass brads

burgundy satin ribbon

Giovana always amazes me with her gorgeous designs, and I'm sure she'll have something for you that will knock your socks off! Her blog is next! Enjoy the hop!

CSS Inspiration Blog Hop

It's time for another GinaK Center Stage Spotlight Design Team blog hop, and this time we're drawing inspiration from a yummy wedding cupcake photograph! Don't these look scrumptious!?

Hopefully you've arrived here from Cheri's!  If you get lost, you can head to Carla's to start from the beginning!

My eye was drawn to the beautiful cream-colored orchids in the lower left corner of the inspiration photo.  They reminded me of Asela's set, Botanical Dreams.  My mother grew orchids in her greenhouse when I was young, and then as a young wife in Hawaii, they were everywhere, so for me orchids bring happy thoughts!
 

 

In this close-up photograph you can see the various hues of yellows and golds that I used to color these gorgeous blooms.  I love the way the cross-hatching of the designer paper echoes the shading in Asela's drawing, and the softness of the pale colors against the gold, green and brown of the layout.

The bow is a layering of two types of sheer ribbon that I've had forever!  (It is amazing what you find buried in your craft room when you seriously sort and organize!)  I tied them separately, then laid one atop the other with a beautiful pearl accent covering the knot.

Notes:
Botanical Dreams, illustrated by Asela Hopkins for GinaK
Pure Luxury Cardstock in ivory and chocolate brown
Basic Grey designer paper
Memento ink
Distress ink
Copic markers
Prima pearl
corner rounder

From here, you're headed to Giovana's! I'm sure she's got something amazing to share with you!  Enjoy the hop!

GinaK CSS Blog Hop

I'm so excited to be participating in today's GinaK Center Stage Spotlight blog hop!  You should have arrived here from Cheri's blog...if you missed it and want to start at the beginning, visit StampTV.

Our challenge was to make a card using a Fall color combo.  I decided to interpret the challenge literally using Fall-colored leaves on a branch from Asela's set, Dream Birds.  I used this week's STV sketch challenge for my layout.  Thanks, Vicki!  :)

The bird and branch were stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored with Copic markers, and accented with a white gel pen.  The leaves sparkle with a touch of clear Copic Spica glitter that is almost impossible to catch on camera.  I used oval and petite oval nestabilities to cut and emboss the image and mat, coloring and cutting out a second bird to pop up on dimensionals...his little tail barely extends outside the oval.  The center panel is a scrap of MME Abbey Road designer paper which echoes the colors of the leaves and bird's belly.  A single button threaded with jute and a plaid bow bring out the browns and pull the design together.

I'm sure you're gonna find something absolutely gorgeous at Giovana's!  Enjoy the hop, and have a fabulous weekend!

Centerstage Spotlight Blog Hop

It's GinaK CenterStage Spotlight Design Team's Inspiration blog hop, and what a fun inspiration photo it was! Just take a look at this delicious, gorgeous cookie bouquet that we sent to Design Team Coordinator Jessica Fick (more pictures here)!

For many of us, Rupa's newly released Warm and Wonderful was the first thing that came to mind, so I wouldn't be surprised if you see a lot of it as you make your way along! The mittens, of course, are the obvious similarity...I was drawn to the rich greens in the photo, so I grabbed the Pure Luxury card stock and some designer paper, the Memento ink and Copic markers and got to *work* ;) .

My nesties hearts worked wonderfully with this sweet sentiment, and the punched snowflake and heart-shaped button were the perfect embellishments to tie the design together. A little Tim Holtz distress ink gave more warmth to the edges of the papers and card stock. If you look closely you'll see that there are faint snowflakes stamped on the kraft card base.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit and that you'll come back again! And now, here are the rest of the hop's participating designers:

Jessica Fick
Betty Neville
Jen Charboneau
Joan Ervin
Vicki Dutcher
Lori McAree
Cheri Weston
Melissa Cash
Carla Suto
Giovana Smith,
JenMarie Taylor
Sue Morris
Carolina Buchting
Sharri Seffens
Brenda Turner
Kay Simmons
Peggy Wainman
Sue Van deVusse
Shannon Bracken
Tina Gilliland
Deb Felts <---you're here
Jennie Harper
Geri Utterback
Selma Stevenson
Melissa Shultz
Linda Payne
Joy Hadden
Karen Knegten
Melanie Muenchinger
Nina Brackett

Everyone's projects will be added to the StampTV gallery and Idea Center over the next few days. You can search for them by using this tag: cssjf4

Recipe Blog Hop!

Several members of the Center Stage Spotlight Team have joined together to share a special Christmas Treat Recipe Blog Hop event with everyone tonight! We have whipped up some treats in our kitchens and our stamp rooms over the past few weeks so we could compile our very first Recipe Book for StampTV!

One of my very favorite candies is Reese's peanut butter cups, and this recipe is a rich, home-made stepped up version! The bonus is that it is very easy to make...and since the recipe uses ONE HALF of a can of sweetened condensed milk, it makes sense to go ahead and make a second batch while you're at it. After all, these disappear quickly around here! ;) Here's the recipe:

Peanut Butter Fudge Rounds
Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Cooking 1989

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbs butter; softened
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tbs milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
12 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter and butter. Add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Add peanuts. Shape into two 10-inch rolls.

In a saucepan, combine 12 ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate morsels with 1/2 cup condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat. Turn mixture onto waxed paper. (Put a paper towel underneath and you'll have less mess to clean up.) Divide mixture in half. Pat each half into a 10 x 4 inch rectangle. Place a peanut roll in the center of each chocolate rectangle. Bring chocolate mixture up around each roll. Press seams to seal.

Wrap each log in clear plastic wrap. Chill two or three hours until firm. Unwrap and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Store tightly covered.

At first I had planned to use a tin or acetate paint bucket to present my treats, but then Lynn posted the link to Debbie Fisher's tutorial for this adorable little tag box, so I immediately changed my mind! Woman's prerogative, right?! It is the perfect size to hold a little cello bag of about 8 rounds of fudge! The designer paper, g.c.d studios' Candy Lane from the Joyful Peace Collection, matches Gina's Tan Leather Pure Luxury card stock perfectly! I stamped some *home-made* circles and tags from Signed with Love, then added a punched heart, some ribbon and a button tied with twine.

For the accompanying card, I stamped the bird from Asela's set First Christmas, colored it with Prismas and OMS, and included a greeting from Melanie's Festive Frame. I used my nesties circles to cut and emboss the focal image.

The *fudge rounds* for the recipe card are from Have a Cookie. I thought they were just the perfect image to mimic the look of the real thing!

Check out these designer's blogs for the sweet projects they've designed around their treats!

Carolina Buchting
Carla Suto
Donna Baker
Giovana Smith
Jennie Harper
Jessica Fick
Joy Hadden
Karen Knegten
Kay Simmons
Lee Murphy
Linda Payne
Lori McAree
Melissa Cash
Pam Imholz
Selma Stevenson
Sue Morris
Sue VanDeVusse
Sue Walsh
Vicki Dutcher

Then, stop by GinaK's blog for a super sweet give-away she has tonight in honor of the hop!

The Recipe Book will be available as a free download PDF on StampTV tonight as well. Look for it on the Freebie Tab link.