My Favorite Things ~ Blessings

This week StampNation is playing along with the My Favorite Things sketch challenge.  You know how much I LOVE sketches!  I loved this one so much I made 2!  One for my blog and one exclusively for StampNation.

The background is stamped with white pigment ink onto craft cardstock.  I made a mask using outer frame from the die cut so that only the center of my card would be stamped.

Check out this sketch!  Doesn't it get your creative juices flowing?!!!  The best part is you can participate in this challenge at both the MFT site CLICKY and StampNation CLICKY.  I created a mask with my new Stitched Square Frames die and then inked my Crumb Cake cardstock with white pigment ink.  Next I added my frame using dimensionals so it would pop up from the card a bit.  For the fall berries I first inked it with a Kaleidacolor pad, then added just a touch of Golden Glitz Delicata ink to the edges.  The combination of white, craft and purple colors with a touch of gold reminds me of crisp Fall days filled with sunshine and fresh air.

The second card I made exclusively for StampNation was almost a one layer card, but the sentiment got lost on the background.  To solve this I stamped it again on white cardstock, punched that out and popped it up with dimensionals.  The I added seam binding and sequins.  Below is a sneak peek.  You can see the full card and DT samples in the challenge forum at StampNation.  

Some of my fellow Design Team members are featuring a second card today on their blogs too.  Check them out and give them some love!

Allison Cope: Clicky
Catherine Pooler: Clicky
Isha Gupta: Clicky

I've decided to take a deep breath and enter the My Favorite Things Superstar card design challenge.  Wish me luck and enter your cards too!  Clicky for all the deets.

Supplies:
Stamps: Garden Flourish; LJD Fall Foliage (My Favorite Things)
Ink: Paper White (Fresh Ink); Golden Glitz Delicata, Vineyard Kaleidacolor (Tsukineko)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White (Stampin' Up!)
Accessories: Stitched Square Frames (MFT); Gold Thread, Oval Punch (Stampin' Up!)

My Favorite Things Cling Stamps, Flourish Background

My Favorite Things Clear Stamps, Fall Foliage by Lisa Johnson Designs

My Favorite Things Die-namics, Stitched Square Frames

Delicata Ink Pad, Golden Glitz

Thankful Thursday

Last weekend my crafty friend, Lisa, gave me an amazing gift.  It was a "just because you appreciate creativity" gift.  She made a decorative spool holder for baker's twine!  I had to make her a special thank you card for it.  ;)

The top finial has a magnet so I can change out the colors of baker's twine to fit the season or projects I'm working on.  Isn't that awesome?!  Thank you, Lisa!

I used her gift bag as inspiration for my card when I decided on the brown polka dot paper, and pulled the sketch from Retro Sketches for the layout.

rs#139

Isn't that a perfect sketch?  I really wish I had a die to match the curves in the picture, but the stitching on the scallop die tied in nicely with the stitching on the stamp.   The sketch was so fun that I decided to use it for my Merry Monday Challenge card.

This time I used some burlap ribbon and Victorian crochet trim instead of paper.  It still fits the sketch, but ties in the rustic feel that the challenge called for.  If you are keeping track, and I'm sure you're not, this is 3 weeks in a row for me completing the Merry Monday challenge on time.  Woot-Woot!  I'm halfway to my goal of 6 weeks in a row to prepare for sending Christmas cards love meeting goals like this.

MM#133

 Supplies
Stamps: Fall Foliage (My Favorite Things); Beauty of the Season (Penny Black)
Ink: Goldeb Glitz Delicata (Tsukineko); Dark Chocolate (Simon Says Stamp); Versamark (SU)
Paper: Crumb Cake (SU); Misc. patterned paper from my stash :)
Accessories: Early Espresso Embossing Powder - Burlap Ribbon - Victoria Crochet Trim (SU); Stitched Scallop Borders (Lawn Fawn)

Fall is in the Air

Today is a day Winnie the Pooh would call a blustery day.   The wind is howling through the trees and leaves are dancing across the way.  Rain is pouring down in buckets.  (or at least is was while I was loading groceries in the car)  It's a perfect day for sitting in front of the fire with a warm beverage or at the stamp table without guilt.  :)

The weather is also perfect for the challenge this week at StampNation.  The challenge is to use leaves on your project.  If you have not checked it out yet, you have to see the AMAZING card that Allison created with some Holly Leaves.  Oh my gorgeousness!  One of my all time favorite cards. 

 

For my card, I went all out.  I went into my yard and picked up some colorful leaves off the ground for inspiration.

Either I had a stroke of genius or I may have gone a bit too far with my craft when I punched shapes out of those leaves to add to my card.  What do you think?  Aren't the colors incredible? YES!  These are leaves I see when I look out my windows.  In fact, now I have some brilliant yellow and orange leaves out there as well.   I love living in the Pacific Northwest.

Soon after I made this card I made a card for the Inspired By series at StampNation.   Leaves were still on my mind, as  you can tell.  I wanted to add some gold and chocolate sequins to my cards, but didn't have any.  Then in a stroke of genius I checked out my mixes of sequins from Pretty Pink Posh and found both in her different Christmas mixes!  Woot-Woot!  It was like finding a treasure.  :)  I'm so easy to please.  

This time I stamped the leaves.  Want to see how this card was created?  Be sure to check out my video in the Classroom at StampNation.   Clicky here if you are a member.  Not yet a member?  Click here to join today.

One last bit of info for your midweek.  Tomorrow A Very Trendy Holiday 2.0 Card class officially launches.  The class is open today, a day early, for StampNation members only.  Be sure to grab your $10 off coupon if you are a member.   

Supplies
Stamps: Fall Foliage (My Favorite Things) Defining Words (Wplus9)
Ink: Golden Glitz Delicata (Tsukineko),Cajun Craze - Cherry Cobbler - Hello Honey - Mossy Meadow - Tangelo Twist (Stampin' UP!)
Paper: Very Vanilla
Accessories: Linen Thread (Stampin' UP!), Stitched Film Strip Die - Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh), Wood Heart (Studio Calico)

Blessings of Fall ~ Stampin' Celebration

Stampin' Celebration has moved to an every-other-week format, so I have a new challenge for you up a few days earlier than usual.  :)  This challenge is sure to get you in the mood for making fall cards, or at least using some of the lovely autumn colors.

SC88

This is my favorite time of year!  I love the long shadows of the sun, the cool crisp mornings and evenings, the amazing display of colors and the warm blankies on a rainy day.   Bring on fall!

My card was created by masking off a rectangle using post it note tape.  I started sponging with my lightest color on the right and moved left with darker colors.  Then I pulled out my long neglected Lovely As A Tree stamps set and inked it up in Early Espresso.  The finishing touch was to wrap some linen thread around the bottom.  You should have seen me debating between using my burlap ribbon and linen thread.  It is so hard to choose when both options look great.

I hope you will join us for this fall themed challenge.  Be sure to check out the website and see what the other amazing designers have come up with.

Supplies:
Stamps: Lovely As A Tree (Stampin' UP!), Fall Foliage (My Favorite Things)
Paper: Early Espresso, Scrap of DSP, Very Vanilla
SU Ink: Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Hello Honey, So Saffron, Tangelo Twist
Accessories: Linen Thread