Celebrate 2014

Hi everyone and happy last day of 2013!

I trust everyone had a fun and festive holiday season. It's almost behind us for another year, which means it's time to head back to work for many of us. I was lucky and had about 10 days off. I have to say, I was very lazy. I read. A lot. I did some stamping, but not much. I took some walks. Went out to dinner with friends. It was a super relaxing time and I'm kinda' bummed that it's almost over as I do return to work on Jan. 2.

This morning was one of the times that I took a few hours to do some stamping. I rarely make "Happy New Year" cards, but decided that I wanted to send a few good friends/family New Year's wishes. While cruising around blogs this morning I ran across the latest and newly posted Colour Q 222 challenge. Super good colors for New Years cards. I did substitute silver for the basic gray, however.

I used several dies to make this card. The only stamping is on the inside. The sunburst die is from TE and the "Celebrate", "2014" and "champagne glasses" are Die-namics from MFT. After scoring my background paper, I cut out the 2014 using dies, then placed some SU silver glimmer paper behind the cutouts. The "celebrate" is glued with a swipe of tape runner. I then sprinkled it with SU silver glass glitter and pushed it into the tape for added sparkle (as if the gold glimmer paper isn't enough LOL).  The champagne glasses are popped up with dimensional tape then gold rhinestones were added for the bubbles.

I think these blingy cards will be a hit with the recipients.

Supplies
Paper: SU black and whisper white card stock, SU silver and gold glimmer paper
Other: Taylored Expressions Ray Of Sunshine cutting plate die, My Favorite Things Die-namics By the Numbers, Let's Toast, LLD Accent It-Celebrate dies, Kaiser gold rhinestones, the Big Shot, and dimensionals.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL. I hope 2014 is good to you.

Thanks for stopping by,
Colleen

Friends Like You. . .

Happy Monday,

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and you were able to celebrate with family or friends.

I have another quick post today. I made this card last night using the Paper Players theme of "evergreen", the Retro Sketch, and the Color Throwdown #270 colors of silver, Crumb Cake, Gumball Green and white.

Supplies
Stamps: Pure Innocence Happy Christmas by My Favorite Things
Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake and Gumball Green card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock, SU DSP, SU Glimmer Silver paper
Ink: Memento tuxedo black and Copics
Other: Circle Nesties, SU woodgrain EF, SU twine, wood button, Die-namics Fishtail Flags STAX die, SU small star punch, white liquid appliqué, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Merry Monday Guest Designer This Week

Hi all,

I'm SOOOO excited to be included with Leslie and the Merry Monday design team this week as the "guest designer".  It's definitely an honor.

The theme for this week's challenge is to make a "Chalkboard" look card. I love the process of making this style of card so I was very pleased to see it's this week's challenge.

I pulled out a few of my Taylored Expressions holiday stamp sets and used a mixture of greetings and pictures. My technique when doing this type of card is to stamp it all out on a scrap piece of paper in the size of my finished piece. I just stamp everything in black on the scrap paper, mostly working on the spacing to make sure it looks right. Then, I get my black card stock, dust it with the anti-static powder and stamp from the top to the bottom. I will do a horizontal line of stamping, then pour the EP over so the ink doesn't dry out. Then on to the next line. I don't heat until the entire card is done.

I used some colored pencils to add a little color to the stars and holly. Then swiped  a sponge dauber across various areas with craft white ink. All pretty easy, just need to take the time to get the spacing correct. I kept the rest of the embellishments pretty simple so that the stamping remains the focus.

Supplies
Stamps: Various stamps from these Taylored Expressions sets: Sparkle and Cheer, Banner Holidays,  and Winter Wonderland
Paper: SU black, Gumball Green and Real Red card stock and Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas patterned paper
Ink: Versamark and SU Craft white
Other: SU white embossing powder, colored pencils, SU sponge dauber, sequins, SU wood grain EF, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

What a fun card this was to make! If you haven't done one of these, give it a try.

Thanks again to the girls at Merry Monday and thanks all for looking in,
Colleen

Happy Holidays

Hello all,

Did anyone brave the "Black Friday" sales? Not us. We went wine tasting instead as we're spending the Thanksgiving holiday and long weekend with friends in the wine country on the Central Coast. So much more fun than fighting crowds and looking for parking spaces at a mall.

I made this card last weekend. It's for Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch #198. I used a cute kitty Christmas stamp from my wooden stamp stash that I got years ago in Poulsbo, WA at a store called Rubber Soul while visiting my sister who lived in the area at the time.

Supplies
Stamps: Rubber Soul single stamp
Paper: SU Taken With Teal and X-Press It Blending card stocks and MME Holly Jolly patterned papers
Ink: Memento tuxedo black and Copics
Other: classic square Nesties and scalloped square Nesties, TE heart die, Die-namics Fishtail Flag STAX die, wooden snowflake, half pearl, Stickles, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Hope your weekend is a good one. Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Happy Holidays

Good afternoon stampers,

I had some time after work yesterday afternoon to get a few more Christmas cards made. The new Merry Monday # 85 challenge started so I used it's theme for my first card.  I used the current CAS(E) #55 sketch for my layout.

This one took some pondering. I love the elegance of the white on white (or cream on cream) look, but I'm not, in my opinion, so good at it. But, as we all say, that's why it's called a challenge, right? So, I went to it and came up with this. I wanted to offset the white embossed snowflakes from the Crumb Cake ones because, to me, it looks like the white ones are floating over the darker ones.

Supplies
Stamps: Stampin' Up Snowflake Soiree and Ornament Keepsakes sets
Paper: SU Vanilla confetti and Whisper White card stocks
Ink: SU Crumb Cake and Versamark
Other: SU white EP, SU snowflake EF, SU clear rhinestones, SU Ornament Keepsakes Framelits dies, Die-namics happy holidays word dies, Fiskars corner punch, heat took, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Thanks for looking in today,
Colleen

Believe

Hello,

Happy Sunday afternoon all,

I made this card yesterday to add to my Christmas stash. The colors are from The Dynamic Duos #80 challenge. Only this week, there are 3 colors. I also made the card to participate in the Merry Monday challenge #84. Use trees and bling.

Supplies
Stamps: Stampin' Up sets Evergreen and Snowflake Soiree
Paper: SU Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Raspberry Ripple and White card stock, SU printed vellum and SU DSP
Ink: SU Blushing Bride and Raspberry Ripple, Versamark
Other: circle and scalloped circle Nesties, Die-namics banner die, SU ribbon, SU corner punch, SU white EP, heat tool, the Big Shot, Kaiser and SU rhinestones and dimensionals.

Thanks all,
Colleen

Season's Greetings

Ah, Friday afternoon. I love Friday afternoons! Work is done and relaxing stamping time can begin.

Hi everyone,

When I saw Jen's new DS128 sketch yesterday I immediately had in mind what stamp set I wanted to use. I just needed to decide what papers to use with. This afternoon, I looked through my SU DSP stash and pulled these graphic, striped and dots, papers thinking they would go well with this little gingerbread man. The card went together pretty quickly. I like that, and I like the way it turned out.

Supplies
Stamps: Scentsational Season and More Merry Messages sets by Stampin' Up
Paper: SU Whisper White, Chocolate Chip and Riding Hood Red card stock and SU Holiday Treasures DSP
Ink: SU Chocolate Chip and Riding Hood Red
Other: SU Scentsational Seasons Framelits dies, Classic circle and Scalloped circle Nesties, SU Chalk Talk Framelit dies, SU corner rounder punch, wooden snowflake, Kaiser rhinestones, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Happy weekend to all and thanks for looking in,
Colleen

A Very Merry Christmas to You

Hi all,

Here is this week's Mojo Monday #320 entry. I used some old Stampin' Up DSPs along with an SU Christmas set from last season. I added some silver Stickles to the ornament top and some tiny clear rhinestones to the detail on the ornament. These, along with the SU red glimmer paper make for a very sparkly card.  Enjoy.

Supplies
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes and More Merry Messages sets from Stampin' Up
Paper: SU real red and very vanilla card stock, SU red Glimmer paper and SU retired Christmas DSP
Ink: SU Old Olive and Real Red
Other: SU silver twine, silver Stickles, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles (rhinestones), dimensionals

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Deck The Halls

Hello,

Here is a card for the current MFTWSC150 challenge.  I love the graphic lines of this sketch and thought that these polka dot and striped papers would suit it well. I used some newish MFT stamps to make another Christmas card.

Supplies
Stamps: Ornament Border Builder and Holiday Subway Art sets by My Favorite Things
Paper: SU Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White card stock and SU Season Of Style DSP
Ink: SU Cherry Cobbler
Other: Die-namics Notebook Edge border die and Fishtail Flags STAX die, classic circle Nesties, SU corner punch, SU paper piercer, Kaiser red rhinestones, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Thanksgiving Cards

Happy Monday to all,

Each Sunday the new Paper Players challenge is posted, and with my travels lately, I haven't had a chance to play along. This week for The Paper Players #172 , Nance has a fun challenge to make a CAS card and to use leaves on your card. I rarely make Thanksgiving cards ( I don't know why because I do have several appropriate stamps for Thanksgiving), but decided this was a great opportunity to make one. I actually made two with the Paper Players challenge in mind because the first one that I made I thought may not be considered CAS. What can I say, I love layers! Anyway, I made a second card trying for a cleaner look.

Here is my version of a CAS card. The patterned papers are from Fancy Pants and everything else is Stampin' Up.

 The inside:

Here is the first card that I made. The patterned papers are from the same Fancy Pants pad and the card stock is from Taylored Expressions. The stamps are SU. The layout comes from the Seize the Sketch #8 challenge.

Supplies
Stamps: Four Seasons, Gently Falling and Seasonal Sayings sets all from Stampin' Up
Card stock: SU Confetti white, Tangerine Tango, TE gold, rust and Choice Buttercream card stocks and Fancy Pants Happy Go Lucky patterned papers
Ink: SU More Mustard, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake, and Cajun Craze
Other: SU circle punches, Classic circle Nesties, SU button, SU border punch, SU twine, SU rhinestones, TE brown ribbon, SU brown button, Fiskars large corner rounder punch, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Have a great week and thanks for looking in,
Colleen

November Key Ingredients Fun

Hi all,

I have been having all kinds of fun with the November TE Key Ingredients kit. I absolutely LOVE the colors in the patterned papers and the "In the Garden" stamp set. I have two regular sized cards and a set of mini gift cards to share. I usually don't post so many projects at once, but since these are all using the same supplies, it made sense to do so.

For the first card, I used Jen's Deconstructed Sketch #126.  My mom was in a car accident a few weeks ago (she wasn't hurt other than being very sore where the seatbelt gave her some bruising) and I wanted to send her a little note to let her know I was thinking of her.

Card two uses the Mojo Monday # 319 sketch. I made this one for a friend's birthday. I love the way it turned out with the paper pieced lanterns.

And finally, I made a set of 5 mini gift cards. I got this idea from Amber Kemp-Gerstel's blog and her new e booklet called Toile. I just love everything that Amber does and I was lucky enough to take her class this past summer in Berkeley. The. Best. Class. Ever!

These are tri-fold 3.5 inch square cards. Here they are folded:

Here they are unfolded:

Supplies
Stamps: In the Garden and From Me to You sets by Taylored Expressions
Paper: TE card stock and Fancy Pants "Happy Go Lucky" patterned papers, the TE Nov. KI kit
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copics, SU Pool Party, Old Olive, Early Expresso, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Riding Hood Red, Blushing Bride
Other: Classic Square and Scalloped Square nests, SU clear rhinestones, Kaiser gold rhinestones, the Big Shot, dimensionals

Thanks for looking in today. I hope your Sunday afternoon is a good one,
Colleen

Merry Christmas

Hi all,

Here is another Christmas card that I made last weekend. This one uses the Retro Sketch #89.

Supplies
Stamps: Christmas Ornaments by My Favorite Things
Paper: SU Pool Party, Island Indigo and Gray CS and SU Winter Frost DSP
Ink: SU Island Indigo and Versamark
Other: Die-namics Christmas Ornaments dies, classic circle Nesties, SU white EP, MFT Oval Doily die-namics die, SU silver twine, SU banner die, button, blue rhinestones, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Warm Winter Wishes

Hello,

Here's a simple Christmas card using the Freshly Made Sketch #111. I liked the lines of this sketch with the large open area. Perfect for an embossing folder!

I used one of my all time favorite SU Christmas sets, Scentsational Seasons, and the new SU paper pack called Season Of Style.

Supplies

Stamps: Scentsational Seasons set by Stampin' Up and Holiday Banners by Taylored Expressions

Paper: SU Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White CS and SU Season Of Style DSP paper pack

Ink: SU Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Cherry Cobbler

Other: SU Scentsational Seasons dies, SU border punch, SU Snowburst Embossing Folder, Taylored Expressions Banner die, Fiskars corner rounder, Kaiser red rhinestones, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Thanks for coming by,

Colleen

Happy Christmas

Hi all,

I trust that your weekend is going well. I returned hime from Nashville on Friday after six days in that city for a work meeting. It's always great to get back home, especially when one travels for work. I can't complain as I used to be gone every week, Monday through Friday. Now, it's just for an occasional project or meeting. So much better!

I managed to get some stamping in yesterday and today. As usual, I loved Karen's Sweet Sunday sketch this week, so I decided to start off today's projects using it.

I had fun using lots of dies and my Copics.

Supplies
Stamps: Pure Innocence Happy Christmas set by My Favorite Things
Paper: SU Riding Hood Red & Pool Party card stock, XPress-It Blending card stock, Winter Wonderland by MME patterned papers
Ink: Memento tuxedo black and Copics
Other: My Favorite Things felt, classic circle and scalloped circle Nesties, Die-namics Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX, Die-namics Tree Line dies, SU Modern Label punch, Kaiser red rhinestones, pink Stickles, sewing machine, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Just Wanted To Say. . .

Hi and happy Sunday evening,

I sure hope you had a fabulous, fall weekend. For me, I had lots and lots of stamping time. I made several cards, mostly Halloween cards, that I will be mailing tomorrow.

The card that I'm posting today, however, isn't for Halloween. It's for a good friend's birthday which is tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Cindy.

I used the uber cute Pure Innocence set "It's A Sign" combined with this weeks MFTWSC147 sketch. Lovin' the way it turned out!

This  cutie is colored with Copics. The chalkboard was paper pieced with black card stock and stamped with the HB2U stamp that comes in the set using Versamark ink and white EP. I smeared some white craft ink across the paper to mimic a chalkboard. The banner is also black card stock stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with white EP as well.

Here is the inside:

Supplies
Stamps: "It's A Sign" Pure Innocence set by My Favorite Things
Paper: SU Island Indigo and Old Olive card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock, My Mind's Eye "Life Of the Party" patterned papers
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Copics, SU craft white and Versamark
Other: Die-namics Dizzy Doily die, classic circle Nestie, Die-namics Fishtail Flags STAX die, SU buttons, SU white EP, Twinery Baker's twine, the Big Shot and dimensionals

Here are the Copics used:

Have a great work week and thanks for stopping by,
Colleen

Happy Owl-o-ween

Well Hello all,

My poor neglected blog! I didn't realize how long it's been since I've posted. YIKES! Sept and Oct have been very busy for me with lots of time away from home. Work travels, personal travels and just  plain too busy to get any stamping in. Hopefully, I'll be posting more regularly in the coming weeks (although now that I think about it, I will be gone again week after next).

Anyhoo, I have a Halloween card to share today. I used the current Sweet Sunday Sketch for the layout and papers from the TE Halloween Project Pantry kit to go along with the cute Owl-o-ween stamp set from Taylored Expressions.

The owls are colored with Copics and cut out with the matching dies. I popped them up onto the branch with dimensionals. I cut the fence out twice, once with the patterned papers and once with black and pasted the patterned one slightly askew over the solid one to look like a shadow. After stamping the bats with gray ink, I added some black Stickles lightly over them. Yellow Stickles are added to the owl's eyes. The panels are stitched up with black thread.

Supplies
Stamps: Owl-o-ween set by Taylored Expressions
Paper: TE card stocks and Doodlebug Halloween Parade patterned papers
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, SU Smoky Slate and Copics
Other: TE fence die, TE Owl-o-ween dies, TE Spiderweb boarder die, Stickles, sewing machine, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Here are the Copics that I used:

That's it for now. Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Spooky Wishes

Hello again,

I have a card here using another of my new PI girls.

I've used Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch #192 for the layout. Another super fun sketch from Karen. I pulled out my box of washi tapes to use for the strips on the side and the bottom and my spider web EF for the background. She is stamped on X-Press It blending card stock with Memento tuxedo black and colored with a whole bunch of Copics. After cutting her out and mounting with dimensionals, I used yellow Stickles to make the pumpkin face on her shirt sparkle. If you look closely, there's a small orange rhinestone in the center of the bow in her hair.

For my sentiment, I stamped it on the smallest pumpkin from the Die-namics Primitive Pumpkin trio set and then placed a green pearl on the stem.

Here's the inside:

I used the Chevron Die-namics to cut out some black card stock to "match" the patterned papers on the front of the card. The inside greetings are stamped on some SU Pumpkin Pie card stock and attached with a strip of washi tape.

Supplies
Stamps: Pure Innocence Pretty Pumpkin set by My Favorite Things
Paper: TE dark gray, SU black, white and Pumpkin Pie card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock, American Crafts patterned paper
Ink: Memento tuxedo black and Copics
Other: Washi tapes, Die-namics Primitive Pumpkin Trio dies and Chevron dies, SU Spider Web EF, orange rhinestone and green pearl, Fiskars corner rounding punch, the Big Shot, and dimensionals

Have a great Wednesday and thanks for stopping by my blog,
Colleen

What's Mew?

Happy Monday afternoon all,

Yesterday I made a couple cards using new MFT Pure Innocence sets.  Using Jen's Deconstructed Sketch #117 layout and the Paper Player's color challenge by LeAnne, this is the first card. The challenge is to use Rich Razzleberry, Pool Party and Black. I colored my little kitty with Copics trying to match the Razzleberry and Pool Party colors.

Here is the inside. I kept it very, very simple.

Supplies
Kitty Costume set, Pure Innocence by My Favorite Things
Paper: SU Rich Razzleberry and Pool Party card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock, SU Rich Razzleberry DSP
Ink: memento tuxedo black, SU Rich Razzleberry and Copics
Other: SU black ribbon, Seeing Spots EF, corner rounder punch, Want-2-Scrap black pearl

Thanks for looking in today,
Colleen