MFT Wednesday Stamp Club: Incredibly Sweet

Just a quick post...when I saw the Wednesday Stamp Club at My Favorite Things, I knew that I had a NBUS (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff!) stamp set and die that I recently got from their clearance rack that would be fun to use!

The challenge closes in an hour and I should be showered and cleaned up to meet a girlfriend in 15 minutes (sorry, girlfriend!) - so no more words!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Contempo Cage
• Paper: Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Avery Elle woodgrain
• Ink: Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana, Versamark
• Accessories: My Favorite Things Contempo Cage die, Sentiment Strips 2 die, Lawn Fawn twine, MME enamel dots, white embossing powder

CAS on Sunday and a Fab Friday: Thx for being Wonderful

I know that I had said yesterday that I had finished my using my entire Paper Smooches order - and I had.  But when I started thinking about a card with a tag for CAS on Sunday and the sweet colors at Fab Friday, I knew that I was going to pull out another Paper Smooches set - Reflections.


I love these fun flowers.  They are a little bit funky (but not too much) and add a sweet touch to every card.  The dies make it so easy - although be warned, there are three sets of dies that coordinate with the set!

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Reflections, Many Thanks
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron
• Accessories: Paper Smooches Reflections dies, Papertrey Ink Tag Sale 3, Frayed Burlap Distress Stickles, Timeless Twine Krazy for Kraft, misc sequins

CAS(E) this Sketch! Thanks a Super Lot

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch and everyone should play along!!  There are SO many options - tall flowers, feathers (although I spent a long time trying to create a nice feather card and I failed), balloons with strings...so many options!

I didn't use any of those.  I used words!  I am trying so hard to use my Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (NBUS) and there just wasn't anything tall in that stash.  So I am continuing on my use of a brand new order from Paper Smooches with a new thank you set (free with $60 purchase) and a brand new paper pad and just started stamping "thanks" in the colors from the paper.  The "super lot" seemed perfect for all of those "thanks"!

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Many Thanks
• Paper: MME Cut & Paste Flair, Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana
• Ink: Stampin' Up Real Red, Blushing Bride, Coastal Cabana, Sahara Sand, Versamark
• Accessories: white embossing powder, Papertrey Ink file die

Fab Friday and Nacho Average Sketch: Can't Thank You Enough

I have another card that I made at my friend's house - the friend that I talked about yesterday who has an incredible Stampin' Up collection.  I wanted to try out the new colors and I remember that the current Fab Friday challenge was to use all five of them on one card and that the sketch at Nacho Average Challenge had five banners.  I think it was meant to be!


This is one of the new sets from Stampin' Up called Chalk Talk. The scribbling on the hearts is a chalk effect.  I tell you that because as I am sitting here looking at this picture, I think it looks like I did a really bad job with markers!!  It's supposed to look like that!!

A FIRE UPDATE: Did you hear that the fire that I showed you last week that was just south of here ending up burning over 500 homes?  They expect to have that fire totally out today.  It has been a real eye-opener the last few years to realize that wildfires can threaten entire communities.    There were other fires burning at that time too that did serious damage to other areas of Colorado - lots of land and many structures (an entire tourist area is gone with very sad pictures of a blackened carousel) - but not homes, so they didn't get as much attention. There are still a dozen other fires burning today.  There's even an entire small town of 3,000 people on pre-evac notice.  In an entirely different situation, yesterday a dear blogging friend commented that her town was declared a state of emergency due to heavy rains and flooding.  Even my local news was showing the massive amounts of water and the damage in Western Canada with 100,000 people affected.  (I do hope all is well.) Wouldn't you think this could all be evened out somehow??

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Chalk Talk
• Paper: Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana
• Ink: Stampin' Up Baked Brown Sugar, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Cantaloupe

CAS(E) this Sketch: Watercolor Thanks

I am stretching today.  I don't even need to exercise today - nope - no yoga for me.  Because I have stretched myself about as far as possible with my card for CAS(E) this Sketch!  Look at this nice, new sketch...

Honestly, if I had a feather - my card would have had a feather on it.  But I don't have a feather - so I had to think outside the box.  I went through my dies.  I started down the path of a die cut tree or maybe a branch.  I was staring into space when I saw my box of stamps-that-will-not-be-put-away-until-they-see-ink and right on top was this set that I've looked at the last few months wondering what I was thinking when I bought it.  Don't get me wrong - I love, love, LOVE what I have seen done with it - but I don't think it's me because it's not regular and straight and "comfortable".

So...I used it...and here's my big stretch...


After my big build-up, how many of you are looking at it wondering what the big deal is?  After the fact, I guess I don't really know why it intimidated me so much, but if you saw my garbage basket full of failed attempts you would know how difficult this simple card was for me!
Hope you play along!! 

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Watercolor Wonder, Think Big Favorites #3
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Terracotta Tile, Smokey Shadow
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Terracotta Tile, Plum Pudding, Summer Sunrise, Fine Linen, Smokey Shadow
• Accessories: misc gems colored with Copics

Papertrey Ink: A Floral Card that Isn't

Last weekend was the Papertrey Ink blog hop that included beautiful color schemes with inspiration photos of bouquets.  I thought I would buck the trend and ignore the flowers in the inspiration bouquets and go for a graphic card.  I recently got the Sketched Shapes and, with that order, I finally finished my entire collection of Papertrey buttons - I have them all!!  So I decided to use both on this card.

Unfortunately...I re-read the blog hop instructions and flowers were required!!  So I made and posted a different card last weekend - but I really like the first one that I made so here it is!  The card celebrating my complete button collection!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Sketched Shapes, Signature Greetings
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Melon Berry
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Terracotta Tile, Orange Zest, Melong Berry, Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink buttons in the same colors!

The Play Date Cafe: Delicate Doilies

It was working really hard at coming up with some new way to use these doily stamps - but then I decided they don't need anything fancy - they are cute enough to do all of the work for you for a great quick and easy card.  But...I did go for unique colors.  I am playing along with this week's colors at The Play Date Cafe.  I thought they had a bit of a Southwest vibe so...here's my attempt at Southwest doilies!!


The colors are steel blue, peach and apricot.  I write that because the graphic that follows looks much more muted that I went and I think the darker color looks like black.  But I checked design team cards and I think I'm not too far off.  I did add a little gray since I was seeing it in the photos.

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps delicate doilies
• Paper: Stampin' Up Peach Parfait, Night of Navy
• Ink: Stampin' Up Peach Parfait, Night of Navy, Papertrey Ink Canyon Clay
• Accessories: Jolee's Boutique Vintage Round Buttons, Brushed Silver brads, Maya Arts twine

Thank You Ever So Much with Hexagons

Everybody knows that I love challenges.  Virtually every card that I make starts with a challenge  - I need a starting point.  By taking one decision out of the equation - the sketch, the colors, the technique, my brain is freed up to be creative on the rest of the card.  I usually play one challenge on a card; maybe two.  But today I was looking at my Chronicle app (see iPod/Ipad app tab) which is my storage place for each day's challenges - and three of them called my name!!!

This card is the sketch from Nacho Average Challenge, the colors from colourq, and the hexagon challenge from CASology.

It's also one my rare cards that has a specific destination.  I have an incredibly gracious friend who regularly invites a group of friends over to her beautiful home to chat, drink coffee, knit - just be relaxed and happy.  As soon as I hit publish on this post, I am going to put a coffee cake in the oven, take a shower and head over to Carol's with my thank you card in hand.   Happy day!!

FYI - be sure to check out my new blog look created by the great Jackie Rockwell and debuted yesterday!!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Happy Hexagons, Simple Sentiments
• Paper: Stampin' Up Sage Shadow
• Ink: Stampin' Up Sage Shadow, So Saffron, Blush Blossom, Calypso Coral
• Accessories: Stampin' Up button, Calypso Coral twine, MFT Fishtail dies, Lifestyle Crafts hexagon die, misc pearls

A New Day at Joyful Creations

As I promised yesterday, my blog has had face-lift.  If you are viewing this in a blog reader - be sure to bring up my actual blog and see the changes.  I am absolutely thrilled.  The wonderfully talented Jackie Rockwell, who is taking a break from her personal blog, is still offering graphic design services and I decided to treat myself.  Don't you love her design??

Jackie is great to work with too.  You can be as involved in selecting themes, colors, fonts, etc. as you want.  Personally, the only thing that I really had a big part in is the colors.  She directed me to a great website - {design seeds} and I paged through until I found something exciting.

I also requested the butterfly.  If you have been with me a long time, you know that this blog started because of a church card ministry that my mother started and named "Joyful Creations".  I've always loved the symbolism of a butterfly - death and resurrection - and wanted to include a butterfly as long as it wasn't cutesy.  I love what Jackie came up with.

I did want to re-open my blog with a few cards - using my new blog colors and butterflies!!  The first is a send out to Jackie - you are amazing!


Then I have a bright and cheerful birthday card for Seize the Birthday!  I got the Small Circle Burst from Memory Box and haven't had a chance to use it - it seemed perfect for this sketch challenge!

Then I did one more card to represent my Christian cardmaking roots.  This card uses the current sketch at retrosketches.

Thank you so much for checking out my blog!!   I am so over the moon excited by my new look, if you are even thinking about getting a new look for your blog - be sure to check out Jackie's services!
You Are Amazing

• Stamps: Verve Amazing Wishes
• Paper: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, More Mustard, Bermuda Bay, Sahara Sand
• Ink: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand
• Accessories: Memory Box Tessatina Border, MFT Fishtail dies, Stampin' Up Butterfly Punch and white Taffeta Ribbon

Enjoy Your Special Day

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Beautiful Butterflies
• Paper: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, More Mustard dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade
• Accessories: Papertrey Butterfly Signature Series die, Love Lives Here die, and Hawaiian Shores button, The Twinery Caribbean twine, Memory Box Small Circle Burst die

God is Our Refuge

• Stamps: Verve single - Psalm 46:1
• Paper: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, Poppy Parade
• Ink: black
• Accessories: Stampin' Up embossing folder (retiring this month!), Paperrey Love Lives Here die, The Twinery Caribbean, Divine Twine Cheery, My Mind's Eye Twine Ginger

Day 5: Online Class Pattern Play

Yesterday was the fifth and last day of the Online Card Class: Pattern Play.  The topic was paper manipulation and it was FUN!!!

I chose to do paper quilting.  You might think this is one piece of pattern paper, but it is actually strips of all of my favorites woven together.


It's such a fun look and it was really easy!

And...I am flying high today...it's a bonus day at the Pattern Play class and they are showcasing 15 more cards from the teachers and 9 cards from the students.  My card is one of the nine!!!  It's an absolute statement of the quality of these classes and instructors because you truly did not see much patterned paper on my cards prior to this class!
I am playing along with Catered Crop: Flower Power and with CAS-ual Fridays: No Stamps!

• Stamps: None
• Paper: Pebbles Family Ties, Papertrey Summer Sunrise and Vintage Cream CS, Stampin' Up Old Olive, Night of Navy CS
• Ink: None
• Accessories: Cuttlebug "thanks" embossing, Sizzix Flower Daisies #2 die, Spellbinders leaves die, Papertrey Spring Rain button

Day 3: Online Class Pattern Play

This is my second post today.

It is the third day of the Pattern Play class at Online Card Classes.  Today the incredible designers took bold prints and made them work!!  There were multiple tips and ideas - but I was particularly taken with the simple idea of cutting the pattern into strips - it seems to "cut-up" the pattern enough that it works on a card.


How quick and easy is this?!
When Kristina was showing this technique, she also advised that we keep the embellishments, image and sentiments to a minimum - let the paper shine!  I love this bold sentiment and I just added a simple button.    She also studied her paper carefully to pick out the perfect part of it for her card.  You can bet I measured and worked very hard to make sure that little heart showed up on a strip!
One of the other techniques today was to use a bold paper as an embellishment.  The bold patterns on the 6x6 pads are perfect for little pennants - and that's how I have been using them already.  However, it would take a dozen lifetimes to use up all my patterned papers by just cutting little pennants, so I went with the "bigger" technique today.

I pulled this paper from a pad that I just picked up at Michaels.  It's a fun pad that has shaped borders right on the page - it made this card REALLY easy!!  It's the Chickadee Stack by Die Cuts With a View (DCWV).

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Sea Mates
• Paper: DCWV Chickadee Stack
• Ink: Stampin' Up Early Espresso
• Accessories: misc button and white twine

CAS(E) this Sketch: So Tweet

This is my second post today.  Please read further for my plea for help!!??

We have a nice simple sketch for you this week at CAS(E) this Sketch!

I had just picked up a cute stamp/die set by Hero Arts called Bold Pop - I liked the idea of a flower, bird, banner layer, but it was just too small for a regular card.  Then I stumbled on some 3x3 envelopes.  I don't know why I had them - but the light bulb came on and I realized that the flower/bird/banner would fit nicely on a small notecard!


It's fun working with these tiny cards!
I also am playing along with the colors at Pals Paper Arts.  When I saw them I swore that I was going to use them because I simply have not used either Calypso Coral or Raspberry Ripple and it would definitely be a challenge.  The challenge ends today so I am squeezing in at the last minute (but I did it!)

• Stamps: Hero Arts Bold Pop, My Favorite Things Notched Tags (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Raspberry Ripple
• Ink: Stampin' Up Rasberry Ripple, Calypso Coral and Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Hero Arts Bold Pop dies, Timeless Twine Krazy for Kraft

WPlus9 Mood Board

WPlus9 Stamps has a new challenge - every Monday, they are going to give us a mood board.  This week's Monday Mood Board is all about texture and bold color.

This thank you card goes out to all of you who take time to comment on my blog. I want to apologize for my commenting absence.  Going back to college is WAY more time-consuming than I ever dreamed it would be.  I love it - I LOVE the challenge - I love thinking about something different for the first time in 15 years.  But it is taking so much more time than I ever thought.  
I still look through all of my favorite blogs every morning over my first cup of coffee and it is wonderful, but as much as I appreciate all of your inspiration, I'm only getting time to comment a couple of times a week.  If you don't happen to post on those days, you haven't heard from me.  I'm still seeing what you have created and I am loving it - thank you for my wake-up boost every morning!

• Stamps: WPlus9 Country Charm
• Paper: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Confetti Tan
• Ink: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Lucky Limeade
• Accessories: WPlus9 Folk Art Florals die, Stampin' Up Cherry button, misc butterfly clip, Jillibean Soup Thank you pennant, Studio Calico wood bird, Stampin' Up Cherry twine

A Papertrey Rainbow

I'm playing with a couple of Papertrey challenges.  The first 2013 challenge at A Passion for Papertrey is "Thank You" and Make It Monday on the Papertrey blog is Repeats and Rainbows.


Make It Monday gave five rainbow color schemes and wanted cards using a repeating stamp.  I have probably gone beyond the bounds of the challenge as I used five different stamps from their Banner Builder set, but I'm trying to convince myself that it's still a "repeat"!!?

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Banner Builder, Think Big #1
• Paper: black and white
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Hibiscus Burst, Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse, Blueberry Sky and Winter Wisteria
• Accessories: EK Success heart sticker, misc punched flower, Papertrey Chartreuse felt and Holly Jolly die, Papertrey Ink Blueberry button, misc twine

Thanks a Ton

I have so much to thank all of you for - your kind comments, the inspiration that I get from you, the caring suggestions when I ask for advice.  This world of cardmaking blogging is quite amazing!!

 I had a "playdate" at a friend's house - who also happens to be a Stampin' Up demonstrator, who has ALL of the new things from the new catalog and Sale-a-bration.  I saw this darling elephant and decided that the first post of a new year was the perfect time to say "Thank You" to all of my readers!!


New stamps, a new year - it's a great day!
I used the current sketch from unscripted sketches.

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Patterned Occasions (new for Sale-a-Bration)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Old Olive texture, Sahara Sand, Tea for Two dsp (new mini)
• Ink: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, Marina Mist, Regal Rose, Old Olive
• Accessories: Stampin' Up die and embossing folder, Queen & Co Twinkle Goosebumps, Mark Richards Nailheads (the eye)

You're a Lifesaver

I love challenges - have I said that before??

First I saw this week's Fall to Layout at clean&simple stamping.  It's my day to post over at The Alley Way Stamps blog and I had the new set Kid 'n Caboodle set out with its charming boat and the sentiment "You're a Lifesaver".  The layout is the perfect sea scene.

Then, just when I thought it couldn't get any better - Fab Friday came up with this color combo!

Here's how it came together...

I have so many people in my life who deserve this card!!
My cutting skills are not great - so I printed out the sketch on regular printer paper.  Luckily it printed out at 4 x 5 1/4" so I could cut it out and have my own template!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Kid 'n Caboodle
• Paper: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse CS and dsp, Island Indigo dsp, Summer Starfruit dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Midnight Muse and Summer Starfruit, Memento black, copics
• Accessories: crochet thread

A Sunburst for the Lightning Bug!!

Can you believe that I had never seen a lightning bug until I was 45 years old? My children and I spent many, many hours chasing lightning bugs on a visit to my mother-in-law in Virginia.  It was magical!!

This new little lightning bug from The Alley Way Stamps (TAWS) is not particularly "magical" but he is pretty darn cute.  What IS magical is the tutorial video on the TAWS blog last Tuesday that made creating this sunburst very easy!

I followed Danielle's video with only one exception.  She cut her strips with the wide end being 4 cm (about 1 1/2").  Since I was doing a smaller card, I cut the big end at 1 1/4". 
And guess what???  Danielle's tutorials are going to be a regular feature on the TAWS blog!  If you pop over today, you'll see this lightning bug card - but be sure to check it out tomorrow....

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Kid 'n Caboodle
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Classic Kraft, Summer Sunrise CS and dsp
• Ink: Memento black and Copics
• Accessories: Yellow Stickles (on nose), Gloss Accents (on eyes), Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter (on wings), Spellbinders dies, misc gems

Clean & Simple Kindness

Today's Clean and Simple Challenge at splitcoaststampers is to use the colors aqua, coral, yellow and white.  I have been thoroughly enjoying using rich autumn colors but this was such a fresh combo, I had to give it a try!

This is a set called Kindness by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.  It includes four different sizes of the flowers so could easily be layered up.  In the spirit of CAS, I just created a spray of the small flowers.  There's also coordinating dies - so I cut and popped one flower.  

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Kindness
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Hawaiian Shores
• Ink: Stampin' Up Cameo Coral, Daffodil Delight
• Accessories: Sweet 'n Sassy Kindness Flower Dies, Papertrey Ink Frame Out 3 die, Stampin' Up  Dazzling Details (on each center)

Embossing X2 for CASual Friday

The challenge this week at CAS-ual Fridays is embossing - dry, heat or a combination.  I use embossing folders on virtually everything so while do have that type of embossing on this card, I also challenged myself to heat emboss.


This is a technique that I love, although I have to admit that it has more impact on a slightly less solid stamp.  You clear emboss the stamp on patterned paper, then sponge the whole thing with a dark ink.  The ink wipes right off the embossed parts leaving a view of the paper.  This stamp doesn't have enough non-embossed parts for a huge impact, but I love the texture you can see in this close-up.  It looks like a little charm.

You can also see the dry embossed background a little bit better in this close-up.

• Stamps: Sweet 'n Sassy Leaf Silhouettes
• Paper: Stampin' Up True Thyme (long retired), Papertrey Ink Terracotta Tile, DCWV Autumn Melody stack
• Ink: Stampin' Up True Thyme, Versamark
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Canvas Impression Plate, clear embossing powder, corner rounder

Dynamic Duos and French Foliage

There are new colors at Dynamic Duos!!  Always Artichoke and Cajun Craze - starting to move into those wonderful fall tones!!  Love it!

Today is the day that a friend has invited me as a guest to the Stampin' Up Denver Regional Conference.  Yeah!!  So I actually made a dozen of these for swaps.  Other than hand-cutting the leaves, they were quite simple.  I am assuming that as you read this, I am in the middle of getting hundreds of fantastic new ideas and I will definitely be sharing!!
Be sure to check out all of the other cards made by the design team.  Then create your own and link up.  Every single week I am amazed at the variety of ideas for the SAME TWO colors!!

• Stamps: Stampin' Up French Foliage, Just Believe ("thank you")
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake and Artichoke CS, Cajun Craze dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Always Artichoke and Cajun Craze
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Adorning Accents Edgelits and Embossing folders, Linen Thread and Square Lattice Folder