My Favorite Things Stamps Day 2: Damask and Stitched Circles

We are on to Day 2 of the My Favorite Things December Release Countdown!!  Today includes some basics that are perfect for so many different cards.

The stamp set and coordinating die set is Mona Pendleton Designs Damask Designs.  It includes small patterns to large patterns, a border and even a couple of small damask flourishes to use with sentiments.  The circles are from the Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics and have that wonderful stitched pattern that add such a nice finished edge on die cuts.  The sentiment is from an earlier set called LJD Birthday Greetings.


I used the circle dies to create a telescoping look for the circles.  Because the damask designs come in different sizes, I could layer them up to create this look.

As I am creating these cards throughout the Release Countdown, I also want to focus on the colors.  I mentioned yesterday that the inks and colors from My Favorite Things were fairly new to me and that I am really happy with them.  Most of the colors are different from some of the other big brands.  On this card I used Steel Blue, a very nice gray color, and Fuse Green, a unique color that can take on yellow or green characteristics depending on the color it is paired with.  I first saw this combination used by Amy Rohl on this card and have wanted to try it ever since!
My layout is from the current Seize the Sketch.

Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog.  You can see what all of the other designers have done with the damask and stitched circles.  And be sure to leave  comment for a chance to win the daily prize!

Seize the Sketch and Merry Monday: Merry Penguins

Whew!

Card done in 16 minutes.  (That's really, really short for me - thus the reason I have never participated in the 10 minute challenges!)

One minute to spare when I got this up and uploaded to Seize the Sketch.  I posted and now I am writing the words!  (Sorry for you Feedly users - I don't think it updates so you just got a pix!!)

And the photo is a little dark - but that's what happens with one minute to spare!

It's a great sketch - I love the panel that hangs off the edges a little bit - plus it was designed by my good friend Stacey Schafer.  She's got more creativity than I could ever dream of having - I keep hoping some will rub off.  {Sigh!}  For now, I'll just content myself with playing along with her sketch!

I also managed to Heat & Stick and glitter it so I'll also be posting this to Papertrey's Make It Monday challenge!  

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Tremendous Treats: Christmas
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Pure Poppy, Limeade Ice, Stampin' Up Marina Mist, MME Mistletoe Magic 6x6
• Ink: Memento Black, Copics, Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow (sentiment), Versamark
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Tremendous Treats Christmas die, Stampin' Up Heat and Stick Embossing Powder, Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter, My Favorite Things snowflake die

Christmas with Stampin' Up

I had a wonderful afternoon this week playing at a friend's house with her extensive Stampin' Up collection!  I always find sets that I don't own myself - it's like magically doubling my collection.

The paper on this first card caught my eye.  (I didn't write down what it was called - sorry!)  I also love this particular sentiment from Christmas Messages in the holiday catalog.  I didn't get the set for myself because a number of the other sentiments just didn't really work for me.  The jingle bell is a Martha Stewart punch.

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I used the sketch from Seize the Sketch which I thought was hard, but I have loved what I have seen others doing with it so I challenged myself to try!

I also wanted to use the Christmas tree from Special Season in the holiday catalog and the Winter Frost dsp.  Even though trees aren't typically Bermuda blue - I put the two together!  The ticket is from That's the Ticket.

I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch because it had a big enough panel for this tree - but the challenge closed before I got the card done!

I am hoping for a relaxed day of crafting today since, after two weeks off, classes start again Monday for me.  I am a full-time college student going for a second bachelor's degree.  I am doing it online - which means I can do it with a mug of coffee in my jammies every morning.  But I discovered that the major downside is that there isn't a Christmas break!!!  Seriously!!  When I figured that out, I declared to the men and boys in my house that they had better behave themselves today - I refuse to deal with "Andrew did this" or "Erik won't let me" or "I'm bored" - I hope to craft in peace with my television channel tuned to some serious chick flicks!  Fingers crossed!

A Festive and Whimsical Sketch: Merry Penguins

I got an order from Mama Elephant and knew that I wanted to immediately use these penguins as part of the Festive Friday challenge to create a holiday project with a whimsical theme.  I love the Basic Grey 25th and Pine paper with its retro colors and feel, so I added a dash of that too.

I always struggle with penguins - they are supposed to be black!!!  But the colors of the paper led me in this grayish direction and I love how it turned out!
The stamp set comes with the penguins as separate stamps (and snowmen too!) and they can hold hands or there are multiple banners or chains of stars and hearts - lots of options.  The hearts in Mr. Penguin's hat is even an add-on.  
I had created the long panel then couldn't figure out what to do with it.  Seize the Sketch to the rescue with its simple flag!!

• Stamps: Mama Elephant Polar Pals, Winter Wonderland (the snowflakes)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Real Red, My Favorite Things Primitive White, Basic Grey 25th and Pine
• Ink: Memento Black, Copics, Stampin' Up Bermuda Bay, Real Red, Hero Arts Wet Cement
• Accessories: Michaels brand gold pearls, My Favorite Things Fishtails, unknown twine

What Fall Means to Me!!

I realized this year that, even though I have about a thousand leaf stamps, I didn't have one that stamped leaves and then the veins.  So I went hunting for the perfect set (and it also had to have dies).  There are a number out there - but I went with My Favorite Thing's Thankful Leaves (I am so very thankful for fall.) There are three leaf shapes in the set - each is a perfect size as they can be tucked in behind as an accent or they can take center stage.

I did two very different looking cards with the set.  The first card uses the solid stamp image along with the veins and the die.  (I love the rich colors of fall.)



This card uses the sketch from Seize the Sketch.

The other reason that I wanted a set that had dies is to be able to cut leaves from patterned paper and then add the veins.  This is the same set as above. (The sentiment is not part of the set.)

This one is for CASology's Autumn challenge.

Did you notice the sequins on both cards?  They are a great mixed set from Neat & Tangled called Festive Fall.  If you like fall colors, this is a must-have!!  Something that I particularly like is the addition of a few clear and a few silver because it reminds me of the cool fall weather. (I love frosty fall mornings!!)
Fall has another meaning for me - one that sort of takes over our lives!!  It's marching band season!!  (I love marching band!)

Both of my sons are marching this year!  Do you see the two marchers in the back - a baritone and a trumpet (the tall guy and short guy side by side) - they are mine!!  (I love my boys - most of the time!)

I'm an old-time marching band geek.  And I have to admit that I don't always totally understand the new style!?  This is actually planned - hiding behind barrels, on the ground, it's fairly strange!!

But they always come back to the classic, solid-sound, lined up marching band that I love!

AND...they placed fourth in their class!!!  Last year, they didn't even make finals.  In fairness, there are smaller schools in a different class that actually got more points than they did so probably more like an 8th place finish.   But they were the most proud of the fact that of every school there, their music score was 3rd!!  They are feeling like they have a solid start on the marching season!
I love fall!!

Seize the Sketch with Merry Monday: Peace, Joy, Love

I really wanted to play along with Merry Monday before it closes this afternoon.  It's a classic and warm challenge to use kraft, red, green and burlap, twine or ribbon.  I went looking for some Christmas papers that fit the challenge and found an older Hobby Lobby brand pad with the rustic look that I was going for.  Then the light bulb came on and I realized that if I used the sketch at Seize the Sketch, I would have a wonderful, warm Christmas quilt!

It might be a little quiet here for the next couple of days.  I have a number of design team and new release cards to make in the next few days for later in the week.  You'll have to come back on Wednesday for a new release at Newton's Nook Designs.  Have you checked them out yet?  They have only been around for a few months and I love what I am seeing - absolutely charming!  I am guesting in September starting with this new release.  I also have a post for Paper Smooches that uses Free Spirits!!  And there will be a new sketch on Thursday for CAS(E) this Sketch! and a new challenge on Sunday for Curtain Call.  Good thing the roofers finished up yesterday, although I think it will take awhile before the pounding stops in my head.  And we could finally hook up the air conditioner again - it was unhooked during our record heat!  So I am seriously looking forward to sending the kids to school tomorrow and crafting in the peace, quiet and coolness!!

I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

• Stamps: Technique Tuesday Jingle All the Way
• Paper: Papertrey Kraft, Hobby Lobby Greetings of the Season
• Ink: Tim Holtz Antique Linen, Papertrey Ink Pinefeather
• Accessories: Lifestyle Crafts Nested Hexagons, Avery Elle Kraft and Berry Sequins, Papertrey Ink Rustic Jute Button Twine

Seize the Sketch: You're a Star!

This is my second card for the very first sketch at Seize the Sketch.  I love the fun look of the diagonal lines.  This card came about because, as I was organizing a craft drawer, I found the roll of film washi hiding under my desk!!  And...the icing on the cake was this Bold Statements set by My Favorite Things that was stashed in my NBUS box (Never Before Used Schtuff)!

This was a double challenge for me because I do not do gold but I am seeing that it is trendy right now. I like it on other people's card but every time that I try to use it, it seems "heavy".   I really didn't have a choice on this card though, did I?  Film strip, star...it was crying out for gold!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Bold Statements
• Paper: Stampin' Up Black and Gold
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Washi Tapes: Queen & Co film strip and Pebbles black patterns, Stamp 'n Stuff Starry Nights embossing powder, My Favorite Things Speech Bubble Frame die, misc sequins

Seize the Sketch: Batty in Love

There was no way that I was going to miss the first sketch at Seize the Sketch!  I'm almost at the bottom of my Paper Smooches order so I was somewhat limited to a bat!  But what does a bat do - hang upside down - and the sketch had a wonderful opportunity for twine for him to hang from!

I don't think I'm done with this sketch yet.  I'm eyeing another set in my new stash that I think would work well...maybe later!

I have been very busy getting organized.  I love the act of organizing - it leads to a fresh start and I love that feeling.  This time I decided to put together a chart of inks.  I've downloaded or created charts for Memento and the Distress Inks and Papertrey and Stampin' Up.  But I had a really bad moment.  I have 113 different Stampin' Up ink colors.  My collection  goes back to colors I'm betting none of you remember - Mint Melody, Mauve Mist - those are going way back.  But look at this...how did I let this happen?

I didn't even know that I didn't have it - so clearly I've never used it.  But...that didn't stop me from jumping on EBay and completing my collection.  Sad, huh??

And I have a question.  Does anybody "understand" Hero Arts inks?  I was looking for a chart of all of their inks and there are a ton of downloadable charts available.  But none of them include all of the inks.  On the Hero Arts site, there is this chart and then there is this chart but there are tons of colors besides what is on those charts.  I love Pale Tomato but it doesn't show up anywhere.  Did they have a big color overhaul?  I'm doubting they retired all of those missing colors because if they did, they didn't leave themselves with many.  Anybody follow Hero Arts?

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Falling for You
• Ink: Memento Black and Copics
• Paper: Stampin' Up Basic Gray
• Accesories: Timeless Twine Cape Cod, Ellen Hutson Daffodil Sequins, Ranger Glossy Accents, Paper Smooches Falling for You dies