My Favorite Things Stamps Day 5: Morocco and Get Well

It's Day 5 of the Release Countdown at My Favorite Things Stamps.  I hope you have been popping by their blog each day and leaving a comment for a chance to win a fabulous prize!!

Today I am previewing the Moroccan Tile Border Trio Die-namics and the Get Well Wishes stamp set.  Get Well Wishes was the freebie with purchase last month so you might have seen it before.  This month it becomes available for purchase.

My first card uses both in a very clean and simple card.


I used the smallest of the trio of border dies.  The other two are slightly bigger motifs than this one.  I wanted to add the rich colors of Moroccan tile so I used Orange Fizz, Grape Jelly, Gumdrop Green, Lemon Drop and Wild Cherry. (The blue isn't from MFT.)
I used the current sketch from Freshly Made Sketches for this card.

I also was inspired by CAS(E) this Sketch but my design team card (which I don't like as much) was already published!!

What I love most about Get Well Wishes is the combination of large fonts and small script fonts, so I wanted to do a second card showing both.  This card also uses Lisa Johnson Designs Grand Peaceful Wildflowers which was previewed on Day 1.

The tag on this card comes from Blueprints 1.  The main cardstock is Whip Cream which I am loving - it's off-white without being a yellowed cream.  I also used Natural, Bubblegum and Sour Apple. 
I hope you are enjoying this month's release.  Isn't there an amazing variety?  There are three more days of previews, than everything is available for purchase on Tuesday, December 10th at 10 pm EST along with a Product Launch post from everybody on the design team!  
Be sure to head over to the My Favorite Things blog to leave a comment and to check out all of the other designers.

Ouch!!

I had to do a post-surgery card for a 13-year old boy on my son's lacrosse team who is a little accident-prone.  A year ago, in 6th grade, he hurt his elbow at an elementary school field day!  He didn't play lacrosse all year (which really hurt as he is a top player) waiting for that elbow to heal and it never did.  Finally they switched doctors - that doctor said it was going to require surgery and that it wouldn't hurt him to play lacrosse as long as he could stand the pain.  He came right back to the team because he wanted to do the summer traveling with them.  He played 3 or 4 games, then in one game, he was standing all alone with the action elsewhere on the field, he turned to run back to position and he just dropped.  In the act of turning, he had damaged his knee!  Poor guy.  This week's surgery was for the elbow.  Fingers crossed that the knee heals on its own!

But the problem is - what to do for a 13-year old boy?  I went super simple.

• Stamps: Impression Obsession
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Island Indigo, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin, Olive
• Ink: Memento Black
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink alpha dies, Mark Richards black dots

Get Well Quilts

When I was young, I had a "sick quilt".  It only came out when I didn't feel well.  One side was silky smooth and the other was rougher with hand-tied tufts.  I remember my mom saying that she could tell just how sick I was by which side I was cuddling with.  As an adult, I've tried to find a new "sick" quilt for my family - but it just never has measured up to my childhood blankie.

WPlus9 recently came out with a quilt-building set that I just had to have for get well cards.  This first card is a tribute to my blankie.  I am not sure that I love it as a card - but I do love it as a memory!  (Check out the little "tufts"!)


I was inspired by the WPlus9 Mood Board.

And I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

• Stamps: WPlus9 Quilt Prints, A Pocketful (sentiment)
• Paper: white and Papertrey Vintage Cream
• Ink: Stampin' Up Real Red, Gumball Green, Bashful Blue
• Accessories: WPlus9 Pocketful die, October Afternoon button, cream crochet thread

WPlus9 Mood Board with Blanket Stitching

It's been a really tough week with my class work - not many posts from me!  I'm afraid it's going to be a little overwhelming the next two weeks also.  I have a class this semester that seems to be twice as much work as any other - and even putting in that much work, I can never quite please the professor - so then I work even harder!  I got up extra early to be able to make a card this morning and didn't love sitting at my craft table as much as usual because I kept thinking about the paper that I need to be writing.  But...stick with me....I just have another couple of weeks with this class!!

I had gotten some new goodies from WPlus9 - one of which is a fun Blanket Stitched Bloom set - it's not like anything else that I own - so it seemed like a great set to play with this morning!

I was inspired by this week's WPlus9 Mood Board.

• Stamps: WPlus9 Blanket Stitched Blooms
• Paper: Simple Stories Vintage Bliss, Stampin' Up Regal Rose
• Ink: Stampin' Up Regal Rose, Old Olive, Lucky Limeade, Summer Sun; Papertrey Ink Melon Berry, Harvest Gold; Memento Gray Flannel
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Harvest Gold button, May Arts twine, WPlus9 Blanket Stitched dies

CAS(E) this Sketch! Get Well

This is my second post today.  

"Something wonderful"is just a post away.

First...I just have to say that I have a problem with the sentiment "get well".  It just seems so demanding..."get well - now!"  As if the recipient has a choice??!!   So I was cringing the entire time I was finishing this card, but I painted myself in a corner with that tag.  I needed a get well card but I didn't have teeny-tiny, less demanding sentiment.

OK...now that I got that off of my shoulders...it's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!

So many options!!  If you check out the design team, you will find that some used the tag - but you'll also see butterflies, vases and a few streaks and blobs of paint.  It really is quite amazing to see how a group of people use a sketch.  That's why I also love when you play along because I get to see them all!!

Here's my card.  The tag became a fence, but I did also add a little tag on my fence!


Hope to see you play along!

iPad Users: The iPad/iPod tab at the top of my page has been updated.  Mostly just removing a lot fo clutter so it's much easier to use now!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Little Bitty Bird and Little Bitty Bird Additions, Tiny Tags II
• Paper: Papertrey Simply Chartreuse, Summer Sunrise, Berry Sorbet, Simon Says Stamp Woodgrain Cardstock
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Simply Chartreuse, Smokey Shadow
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink dies: Little Bitty Bird and Little Bitty Bird Additions, Tiny Tags, misc leaf punch, Doodlebug Designs twine, white embossing powder

A Floral Day with WPlus9

As I am watching the snow swirl outside my window (although once again, the 10" predicted is looking to be just a dusting), I decided to play along with two WPlus9 challenges that involved flowers.

The first is Cloud9.

Cloud9 has a picture inspiration.  I strayed a little further from it than I usually do.  I am not particularly creative with picture inspiration challenges.  If there are pink flowers, I stamp pink flowers.  In this case, I started with the swirly background.  I don't have a lot of swirly papers but I found a scrap that had a mass of flowers.  I thought it matched the inspiration until I started adding other colors and realized that the purple and greens were dominate.  I curved the flower a little to get the lean of the inspiration flowers (I love that acrylic stamps allow that!) then a bright butterfly to signify "hope". So...I was definitely inspired by the inspiration but, in the end, didn't come very close.

The second WPlus9 challenge today is the Monday Mood Board and for this challenge I was further inspired by the CAS-ual Fridays challenge to color block.

(Now, I'm going to take advantage of the snowy mood and make a couple of Christmas cards for some upcoming challenges!!!)

Cloud9 card

• Stamps: WPlus9 Woodgrain Silhouettes, Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions and Sweet Nothings
• Paper: Papertrey Plum Pudding, Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade, Basic Gray Kioshi
• Ink: Memento Espresso Truffle and Copics
• Accessories: ribbon from Hobby Lobby

Mood Board card

• Stamps: Wplus9 Mother's Day Bouquet (the flower), Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions (leaf), A Pocketful (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Daffodil, Gumball, Cherry
• Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso, Versamark
• Accessories: Timeless Twine Lemonade Yellow, misc button, Martha Stewart butterfly punch

Butterfly with Hope

I love this sentiment from the new set by The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) called All About YOU.  I used it a week ago on this card done all in neutrals.  Today I am brightening it up with this cheerful butterfly from Priceless Joy.


I used the sketch from clean&simple stamping.

It's gotten easy to buy stamps from TAWS - Simon Says Stamp now carries us!!  Just use the manufacturer drop down to go to "The Alley Way Stamps" and you can add them to your cart along with all of your other crafting needs!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Priceless Joy, All About YOU
• Paper: Stampin' Up Island Indigo, Very Vanilla, My Mind's Eye Collectable Noteable Memo
• Ink: Stampin' Up Island Indigo, Memento Black and Copics
• Accessories: Stampin' Up small piercing template, Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter (adhered to the butterfly with a spray adhesive)

Hold On Pain Ends - HOPE

I am so in LOVE with this sentiment from the February release at The Alley Way Stamps!!  It's so unique and it says something that is so very hard to say...

And it is just one of ten fun sentiments in the new set All About You. Check out the link above to see some more sneak peeks with this same set!!I used the sketch from Less Is More.

And the colors from Dynamic Duos.

NOTE: The darker brown really is Soft Suede.  That's one of the colors that I have the new Stampin' Up ink pads for.  I have been throwing away my old pads as I got the newer ones and I am really regretting that.  There are some blog conversations going around that the ink isn't as good with clear stamps.  I can't say I have had coverage problems with clear stamps, but even IRL this does not look like Soft Suede.  Anybody else having problems?

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps All About You (to be released Feb. 1), Trees Company
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake
• Ink: Stampin' Up Soft Suede and Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Memory Box Woodland Branch die, MFT scallop die, CTMH Bitty Sparklers, Stampin' Up embossing folder, white crochet thread

Feel Better with a Comfie Quilt

It's time for another great sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch!

When you are on a design team, you get all of the sketches well in advance.  I had this card done ages ago because I immediately knew that I wanted to pull out a set that I hadn't used in a long time - I wanted to do a cheerful quilt.  (I love it when a card comes together like this, typically I struggle for longer than I care to admit!)


I think this would make someone feel better!
I love looking at your submissions to these challenges - it's the highlight of my morning over my first cup of coffee to page through what everybody else has done.  I learn so much from each of you!!  So...play along....link it up at CAS(E) This Sketch!....I'm looking forward to seeing what you do!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Quilter's Sampler, Healing Touch Sentiments
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz
• Ink: Memento Black and Copics
• Accessories: doodlebug baby girl boutique buttons, misc twine, Sizzix embossing folder

Feel Better Soon with Verve

Over on the Verve stamp blog, there has been a sketch contest running all month with the random prize being the entire holiday release!  (It's been running all month, but it closes tomorrow!)  I love Verve - they have a great graphic style and aren't afraid of Christian sentiments.  I have stamp sets from them dating back to when they were called Verve Visual and they used red rubber!


I'm not huge on dimensional flowers but I am IN LOVE with these velvet flowers by Maya Road (just called Velvet Pleats).  I purchased them recently and they perfectly match Stampin' Up's So Saffron and Basic Gray - isn't it a gorgeous color combo??
I also updated my paper collection with a big My Mind's Eye pad at Hobby Lobby's recent 50% off sale.  It's a huge 12x12 pad called Bramble Rose...half of it is the weathered wood that is showing everywhere and half of it is chevron prints which is showing everywhere else!!

• Stamps: Verve Fluttering By, Hope Blooms
• Paper: Stampin' Up So Saffron, Basic Gray, My Mind's Eye Bramble Rose pad
• Ink: Stampin' Up So Saffron, Basic Gray
• Accessories: Maya Road Velvet Pleats, Stampin' Up Basic Gray Taffeta, misc saffron and white ribbon

BE Inspired Reminder!

Last week, on The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) blog was BE Inspired week with the inspiration being these photos/colors/pictures...

I just wanted to remind you that it's a two week challenge and YOU still have time to play along.  It does require a TAWS image, but they have free digis - check out this lovely butterfly from this post.

I took inspiration from the branch in the upper left corner.  It worked perfectly with the new set Trees Company.

That's a little bit of clear Stickles in the corner of each flower so it has a nice shimmer in real life!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Trees Company, Talk to Me
• Paper: Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel (retired)
• Ink: Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Papertrey Ink Fine Linen and Spring Moss
• Accessories: corner rounder, misc twine

Never Give Up Hope

On the first Wednesday of every month, The Alley Way Stamps has a free digital stamp.  I am particularly in love with this month's - Never Give Up Hope...


Isn't that a wonderful butterfly?  It's fun, but meaningful.  The sentiment that I used came from the TAWS Christmas Magic set.
I used the colors from colourq which were also meant for October's Breast Cancer Awareness month.  (FYI - I tried easily 50 photos in different lights because in real life, the two darker ribbons are exactly the same color - but I simply don't have the photography skills to deal with the different colors reflecting from the different fabrics - sorry!)

I also wanted something a little frilly - that's not normally my style so I relied on a sketch from cardabilities.

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps digital freebie, sentiment from Christmas Magic
• Paper: Stampin' Up Basic Gray, Pink Pirouette
• Ink:  Stampin' Up Basic Gray, Copics
• Accessories: Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter (on butterfly wings), misc black baker's twine, ribbon from Stampin' Up and other miscellaneous sources, Queen & Co Twinkle Goosebumps

Dynamic Duos #5

It's such a fun color combination this week at Dynamic Duos.  It's the first challenge of the month so we are going "Bold and Sassy" with the fresh and fun combination of Read Red and Island Indigo...

I had the fun of playing at a friend's house one afternoon this past week.  She is the only person I have ever met that has a bigger collection than I do!!  Nothing on this card is mine!  It sure is fun to have access to her incredible craft room!

The design team has put together quite a variety of cards for this challenge so be sure to check each one out.  Then play along - it's a great color combo!

The Dynamic Duos Challenge Blog

Allisa Chilton

Anne Marie Hile

Anika Lerche

Bronwyn Eastley

Kim Singdahlsen

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Melissa Chipperfield

Paige Grabau

Sue Joyce

I did use the sketch from the Paper Players challenge.  While I was creating this card days ago for the design team deadline, the Paper Players challenge was open.  I forgot the fact that it would be closed by the time this challenge would be posted. 

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Betsy's Blossoms, Teeny Tiny Wishes 
• Paper: Stampin' Up Real Red, Island Indigo and Summer Smooches dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Real Red, Island Indigo
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Circle punch, unknown scalloped circle punch, Stampin' Up Flower Burst Embosslit, Island Indigo ribbon and baker's twine, unknown flag dies

Dynamic Duos - Monochromatic Blues

It's the fourth week of Dynamic Duos Color Challenges and the fourth week of the month means "monochromatic".  This month we are focusing on blues with Marina Mist and Bashful Blue.

This is such a peaceful color combo, I chose to make a get well card featuring a simple little window scene...

If you didn't start here, be sure to check out the Dynamic Duos blog - you will see amazing cards from the rest of the design team - there are baby cards and teacups, flower gardens and butterflies, and even a few tears!  Then...when you create your card, head back there to link it up.

Here are all of the design team members in case you would like to hop to each blog...

Allisa Chilton

Anne Marie Hile

Anika Lerche

Bronwyn Eastley

Kim Singdahlsen

Lesley Croghan

Lisa Elton

Melissa Chipperfield

Paige Grabau

Sue Joyce

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags 
• Paper: Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Bashful Blue
• Ink: Stampin' Up Marina Mist, Bashful Blue (sponged for the sky)
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Striped folder, Memory Box small window die, Papertrey Ink Tiny Tags die, Martha Stewart bird border punch (cut down to fit inside the window), Sweet 'n Sassy Cloud die, crochet thread

Jumping on the Hexagon Trend!

There are cards all over blogland right now using hexagons - and I love them!  They look like a comfie quilt - yet most of what I am seeing is still very clean and simple.  Of course, I jumped right on that bandwagon and my hexagon dies arrived yesterday...



I went with this week's very cheerful colors from colourq.  Then, I needed a little help with the idea of a clean and simple quilt - so I went with this week's sketch from clean&simple.

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Perfectly Penned
• Paper: Stampin' Up Always Artichoke and Tangerine CS, Daffodil and Pear dsp
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: detail white embossing powder, Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Hexagon dies, Stampin' Up dotted embossing folder, misc twine

Dynamic Duo #1

It's official!  The Dynamic Duo Challenge Blog is up and running!!  I am thrilled to be on the first design team/  I have all the other "Dynamos" linked up on my sidebar - be sure to check out their creations.

The first color challenge was chosen from a contest on the Dynamic Duo Facebook page - Lucky Limeade and Pool Party!!  The deal with this challenge is to use ONLY these two colors (plus any neutrals) on any paper crafting project - cards, scrapbooking, digital or other.

I love how cheerful these two colors are together, so I made a card of "comfort"...

I had so much fun working with these colors, I did a bonus card!

I do look forward to checking out of your creations with these colors. Head over to the Dynamic Duo blog for all the rules and to link up your creations.
I also look forward to seeing you back here next week - it's the second week of the month so the theme is "Subtly Yours" with appropriately subtle colors!
Wishing You Comfort

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Scattered Showers, Wishing You (tulips and sentiment), Hanging Out (grass), Background Basics: Circles (rain)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade
• Ink: Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Going Gray
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Pool Party twine, Papertrey Ink Scattered Showers die, clear dew drops

Gratitude

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Inspired by Nature, Papertrey Ink Beautiful Butterflies
• Paper: Stampin' Up Pool Party
• Ink: Stampin' Up Lucky Limeade, Pool Party and Basic Gray
• Accessories: misc gems and ribbon

CAS: Shades of Blue and a Sentiment

I have been really quiet on my blog for the last week - I have had a doozy of a cold going on ten days now.  Actually I felt better in the middle - but this weekend, it hit me again - so I guess I have had multiple colds.  Yesterday, I came home from church, took a 4 hour nap, got up for dinner and a quick family walk - then headed back to bed.

So...it's a good thing that I like playing Splitcoast's Clean and Simple challenge on Monday mornings because I don't have the energy for much more!  Today we were to use shades of blue and I thought it was the perfect challenge to pull out this cute die from WPlus9.  And I also used the CAS-ual Friday challenge which was to use a sentiment as a focal point.  With those challenges, my fuzzy, tired brain came up with a card!!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Healing Touch Sentiments
• Paper: Stampin' Up Marina Mist CS and dsp, Bashful Blue dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Marina Mist
• Accessories: WPlus9 die, Cuttlebug embossing folder

Pink and Celery with a Tag

This morning's CAS Challenge at Splitcoast is to use Pink, Celery and White.  I had just received a very large flower from Layers of Color - so I knew right away I wanted to tone-on-tone the flower.  But I couldn't figure out what to do with a sentiment, until I remembered The Paper Players challenge which was CAS with a tag.  I thought a tag tied to the flower stem might be a perfect simple touch.

FYI - everything at Layers of Color is clearanced at 50-75% off so this very large Cottage Rose stamp is only $7.

• Stamps: Layers of Color Cottage Rose, Daisy Bucket sentiment
• Paper: Stampin' Up Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink
• Ink: Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink
• Accessories: The Twinery Honeydew baker's twine, Stampin' Up tag punches

Inspiration Challenge: Focus on the Puffs

Today's Inspiration Photo in the Sweet 'n Sassy forums at Splitcoaststampers is a beautiful array of chocolates but I was most taken with the puffs on the border!!

I used two sizes of flowers from Sweet 'n Sassy's Polka Dot Silhouettes.  The border is done by stamping once on a post it note and cutting it out.  Then using that post it to mask and layer the flowers.  For interest, I did pop a few and added brads and buttons.

I picked colors based on the inspiration photo: Stampin' Up Chocolate Chip, Barely Banana, Pumpkin Pie and Pool Party.

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Polka Dot Silhouettes, Poppies and Greetings (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Pool Party, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
• Ink: Stampin' Up Pool Party, Chocolate Chip, Barely Banana and Pumpkin Pie
• Accessories: misc. brads and buttons

Color Throwdown on a Get Well Flower

I have a church cardmaking gathering tonight and you can always tell when it is getting close because my cards get very simple.  Of course, I prefer a CAS style - so this really isn't a problem for me - but I do try to put together a variety of styles for all the other cardmakers to play with.

I used the color's from this week's Color Throwdown.

I also want you to check out the left side of my blog page because I did some cleaning!  I moved the "Tips and Techniques" section to its own tab at the top of the page.  I plan to pretty it up and organize it a little better, but that will come later.

Most importantly, I added "My Blog List" - these are the blogs that I read every day!  I did set it up to only show you the 25 blogs that have most recently posted - if you saw everything that I read, you would definitely realize how obsessive that I am!  So check this section often because you will definitely find other blogs to love!

Apologies to you if you think that I have missed you on My Blog List.  I have worked very hard to clean up my "following lists" and my Google Reader - but I think they are playing tricks on me.  Blogs that I am absolutely certain that I follow are no longer listed.  Just random stuff - but it's going to take me awhile to clean it up.  So if I definitely follow you - don't worry - you'll get on My Blog List!

• Stamps: Stampin' Place
• Ink: Stampin' Up markers in Pool, Olive, Crumb
• Paper: Stampin' Up Pool, Olive, Crumb
• Accessories: Nestabilities die, Sizzix embossing folder, SU Olive Taffeta, Stickles (on the flower)