Just Wanted To Say

Hello,

I promised another card using the Paper Players sketch for this week. As time is running out on the challenge, I thought I'd better get it posted. As I said in my earlier post, a great sketch deserves more than one card. Today's card is the first of the two that I made, but I decided to post the gingham themed card first. I just thought it was fun!

I really do like this card also. The colors are beautiful IRL. Like in yesterday's post, I've used Gina K stamps and inks. This is one of her more recent stamp sets called "A Happy Hello." It's flowers and a butterfly, with a very large Hello sentiment and has coordinating dies. I had watched one of Gina's videos where she uses this set and the same ink colors and it turned out so pretty, I wanted to give it a try. So, I guess this is really a CASE of Gina's card in the video. The video is called Inking Techniques - 3 Fun Ways. You can find it here.

I used two Gina K ink cubes. Jelly Bean Green and Tranquil Teal for the flower stamping.
For the three colors in the background, I used three Distress Oxide Inks in shades that complimented the Gina K colors and blended them with a blending brush. I sprayed them with water after blending, although that really doesn't show once the stamped panel was added. For the butterfly, I stamped it two times with Gina K Amalgam black ink, then with VersaMark over that to heat emboss with clear EP. I did two layers of heat embossing so the butterfly is super shiny. It is cut out with the set die and popped up with a dimensional. The sentiment is heat embossed with white EP on black card stock. This little die is an older Die-namics label die. I added some gems that match for embellishment.

Here is the inside of the card. Hello is heat embossed using the same technique as the butterfly.

These colors really are striking with the black accents.

On a personal note, I've come down with shingles! Luckily, I figured out what was going on as soon as I saw the rash and got the anti-viral drugs. So far, it's a fairly light case and no blistering. It's on my back and spreads around to my side at waist level. Since it's not too bad, I've been working. I've heard some get a super horrible breakouts that blisters and that it's very painful, so I'm feeling fortunate. Ice and Alive help with what pain I do have.

Have a good Friday all, and thanks for looking,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: A Happy Hello set by Gina K
Paper: Tranquil Teal and Jelly Bean Green card stock by Gina K, SU Basic Black card stock and X-Press It Blending card stock
Ink: Gina K Jelly Bean Green and Tranquil Teal cubes, Gina K Amalgam Black ink, VersaMark
Other: clear embossing powder, heat tool, SU Stitched Rectangle dies, Die-namics Label die, Gina K Happy Hello dies, Gemini Jr, Misti, Dimensionals, TE Blending Brushes, teal gems

Happy Birthday and You Are Awesome

Hi peeps,

I have been playing with the Gina K Wreath Builder system and some new Gina K stamps. Both cards here use the new Embroidered Flowers set. This is a fun set with many flower stamp images. No challenges with these, just adding some cards to my stash, and having some stamping fun.

First up is a card made with the smaller rose image. I used a light pink and darker coral shade together before stamping. I really like how this one turned out using the Wreath Builder template. The roses are spaced perfectly. The inks are from Altenew.

For the second card, I stamped the daisy flowers using the Wreath Builder template, then when it was completed, I cut the panel in half in order to make a regular A2 card size. This is the same stamp set, although the sentiment is from another Gina K set. The inks on this card are Hero and Gina K cubes.

The Wreath Builder is super fun to create with. Gina has several videos that help figure it all out.

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: All Gina K Embroidered Flowers set and Scripty Encouragement set
Paper: SU Coral, Ruby Red, Bordering Blue, Summer Sun, Whisper White card stock
Ink: Altenew, Hero, Gina K
Other: Misti, Wreath Builder, Embroidered Flowers dies, Gemin Jr, clear gems, SU glittery enamel dots, dimensionals

Easter Wishes

Happy Monday afternoon peeps,

I had a great Sunday afternoon of stamping and made three cards. Two of them use LeAnne's sketch for this week's Paper Players Challenge. When there's a great sketch, why stop at just one card, right? I'm actually posting the second card that I made with her sketch. The first one I'll post later in the week, and they are both very different.

For today's card, the idea came to me while I was looking through my dies for something I needed for the first card, and I came across some older Die-namics bow dies. Here's what I did with them.

Doesn't pastel gingham make you think of Spring and Easter? That is totally what came to me when I ran across the bow dies. I knew that I had the SU gingham DSP and decided to see if my idea would work. 

The inside panel is a Piece of Whisper White with a layer of super old SU velum  printed with flowers. Unfortunately, it's a little hard to see the detail on it in this photo. I cut the three background pieces of gingham using the SU Stitched Rectangle dies, and also used one of them to cut the velum and Whisper white.  The bows are cut from the reverse side of the gingham where the checks are smaller.

For the inside, I used a piece of the yellow gingham and a little chocolate bunny and sentiment from another older SU set.

Luckily, I had a really light work day and I think the rest of the week is going to be as well. My scheduled project is delayed because the customer facility wasn't quite ready. Of course, you know it means I'll just have to work faster and longer to make up for the delay once I do get access.

This afternoon is game one of the 2020 Little League season. Our little friends are playing again this year which means lots of afternoons watching BB.

I hope you all have a good evening and thanks for looking in.

Colleen


Supplies
Stamps: Something To Celebrate and Basket Bunch sets by Stampin' Up
Paper: SU Whisper White thick and regular card stock, SU Gingham DSP, SU printed velum
Ink: Memento Tuxedo black, Copics
Other: Die-namics Bow dies, SU Stitched Rectangle dies, SU Basket Bunch dies, Gemini Jr, Misti, Foam tape, liquid glue

Love You

Happy Saturday peeps,

It's been a wet one here in north San Diego county for most of the day. It's starting to clear up now and I think we are expecting very warm temps for most of the next week. For about 30 minutes this morning, the skies really opened up and the thunder rolled right over the house. I called it "real rain." Mostly, our rain is pretty light, so it was nice to see it really coming down.

I decided to strip the bed down to the mattress and wash everything. In addition to those loads, I also did clothes, so that's how I spent my morning. I also made a quick run to the market for groceries. I had some lunch and then sat down at my stamping table to make a card.

Using the sketch from the current CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge. I pulled out a new February release set from Concord & 9th, and I love how it turned out.

The set is called Stitched Blooms and it has a coordinating die that makes stitched flowers and leaves. I used it 4 times so I could fill in the diagonal area per the sketch. After running it through my Gemini Jr the final time, I used some TE and Altenew ink cubes to stamp in the flowers and leaves. The small dots are colored with a Zig water color marker. The sentiment panel is another couple of dies in the set. I cut the banner out of black card stock and the letters from white then glued the letters to the black banner. I pulled out some SU Pool Party Baker's twine, rolled it in a circle and using some foam tape, adhered the sentiment over the twine. A few SU glitter enamel dots complete the embellishment. I used a light yellow, bright yellow and light green dot to compliment the stamped shades.

The same stamping pattern is carried over to the inside. The sentiment is from another C&9th set called Tall Type Tagalong. It's from the January release.

The card base is SU Pineapple Punch card stock. This was a fun card to make and it went together relatively quickly.

Thanks for looking in and I hope your Saturday evening is enjoyable.
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Stitched Blooms and Tiny Tagalongs sets by Concord & 9th
Paper: SU Pineapple Punch and Whisper White card stock
Ink: Taylored Expressions Potato Chip and Lemon Meringue, Alenew Leaf, Memento tuxedo black, Zig blue marker
Other: Stitched Blooms dies, SU Baker's Twine, SU glitter enamel dots, foam tape, Gemini Jr

You'd Be Better Already

Happy Friday evening all,

I was lucky today and was able to work from my home office. Love when that happens on Fridays because we all know how bad Friday afternoon traffic can get.

After I finished up with the work stuff, I quickly put away my work computer and pulled out my stamping supplies. We have a good friend that had surgery for breast cancer this morning. I wanted to make a card for her and get it in the mail, as she lives in Virginia. I used Kim's sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and the colors from Color Throwdown.

I started by cutting the SU Sending Flowers die, a Sale-a-bration coordination product release for the  Sending You Thoughts Sale-a-bration set, from water color paper. The flowers are colored using Zig Water Color markers using the Color Throwdown colors. Using a Spellbinders Circle die and the partial die cutting technique, I made the half circle on a piece of SU Whisper White card stock. For the gray border around the half circle, I used two Die-namics Inside and Out Stitched circle dies taped together. The half circle panel is embossed using the SU 3D Brick and Mortar EF. The bottom panel is stamped with the SU Hardwood background stamp. I glued the flowers onto the embossed panel and used foam tape to pop it over the woodgrain panel. Both are glued to a card base of Going Gray card stock. I used some tiny SU butterfly dies for embellishments.

Here is the inside.

We are expecting some rain tomorrow here in SoCal. Sounds like a perfect excuse to stay in and craft.

Have a great Saturday all and thanks,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Sending You Thoughts, Beauty Abounds and Hardwood sets by Stampin' Up

Paper: SU Going Gray, retired bright pink and Whisper White card stock, Strathmore water color paper

Ink: Zig Real Brush water color markers, SU Going Gray, Elegant Eggplant

Other: Die-namics and Spellbinder Circle dies, Taylored Expressions Grass Border die, SU Butterfly dies, SU Brick and Mortar embossing folder, Misti, Gemini Jr, small dimensionals, foam tape

A Woodland Hello

Happy Tuesday,

This week's Paper Players Challenge is a clean and simple theme challenge. Jaydee is our hostess and she wants us to use woodland critters on our projects. I have several stamp sets that would work for this one and I pulled most of them out for consideration. I finally picked this Simon Says Stamp set called Woodland Whimsy. It was in one of the SSS Monthly kits late last year, and the critters are super cute.

Since this is a clean and simple challenge, I wanted to limit layers and keep the white space. I started by cutting a large circle from some Gina K masking paper, laying the outside over my card base of thick Whisper White card stock and sponging some puffy clouds in the negative space. The critters, trees and flowers are stamped on X-Press It Blending card stock, colored with Copics and fussy cut. I actually used the same circle die to cut the trees so that they line up perfectly in the sponged circle. Everything is glued with liquid glue.

I kept the inside pretty clean and simple as well. Both the image and sentiment are from the same SSS stamp set.

This is a super quick post, but I still have some prep for training that I'm conducting the next two days. Tomorrow I start at 6:00 am!

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Woodland Whimsy set by Simon Says Stamp
Paper: SU thick Whisper White and X-Press It Blending card stock
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Distress Oxide blue and Copics
Other: Spellbinders circle die, Gemini Jr, Misti, liquid glue, cloud stencil, TE blending brush, Gina K masking paper

You're Awesome

Happy Monday evening peeps,

I've got a card for you that I made following a couple of challenges. The sketch comes from this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! and the theme comes from the current Inspired By Challenge. I love both the colors and the patchwork theme in this week's challenge.

I did take a little creative license with the sketch omitting the two small elements below the sentiment, and I moved the sentiment off the main element because it just didn't work with the punched flowers. As far as the Inspired By Challenge, I used several elements including the dots in the background, the patched squares and the colors. This was totally a fun card to make!

Here's the inside that uses a sentiment and image from one of the SU Sale-a-bration sets.

Thanks for looking today,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Altenew Dainty Swiss Dots set and SU Thoughtful Blooms set
Paper: SU thick & regular Whisper White, Lovely Lipstick, Coastal Cabana, Midnight Muse, Regal Rose card stocks
Ink: Midnight Muse, Coastal Cabana
Other: SU Thoughtful Blooms punch, Die-namics Double Stitched square die, Taylored Expressions Small Scalloped Banner die, Gemini Jr, Misti, SU white enamel dots, liquid glue, foam tape

Missing You Friend

Hello,

A few Saturday chores completed so I had some stamping time this morning. I plan on more later this afternoon too. I wanted to make a card for Linda's Freshly Made Sketch. I like the vertical elements and I love how this card worked out. The colors are from this week's Color Throwdown Challenge. A very pretty combo for some spring flowers.

The stamps are from the February release by Concord & 9th. So pretty!

I used the rest of the stamped vertical panel on the inside with more images from the same C&9th set. The lavender card stock is a really old SU color called Orchid Opulence. This is one of the SU retired colors that I miss. ( Truth be told, I kinda horde it.)

I hope you all have a fab weekend!

Thanks,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Brushed Stipe Background and Meadow Blossoms sets by Concord & 9th

Paper: SU Smoky Slate, Orchid Opulence and Whisper White card stock, X-Press It Blending card stock

Ink: Memento Gray Flannel, SU Smoky Slate, Orchid Opulence, Copics, VersaMark

Other: Concord & 9th Meadow Blossoms dies, SU Stitched Rectangle dies, Gray Baker's twine, lavender pearls, Gemini Jr, Misti, dimensionals

Thank You

Hi all,

Yipee, it's Friday tomorrow. I'm definitely ready for the weekend.

In my earlier post this week, I said that I might make another card, because I really like Ann's color theme this week at the Paper Players Challenge. I was able to get another one made. Using very different shades of red and pink, and using a new to me flower set from Altenew, I made this.

I used some Altenew inks for the flowers and leaves. The darker shade is called Crimson and the light pink is called Blush. The background stamp is from Concord & 9th. It is stamped using Gina K Amalgam black ink. The flowers and leaves are cut out using the corresponding set dies. The sentiment is part of the Altenew flower set and it's heat embossed and cut out with an SU banner die.

Here is the inside, which uses a Gina K stamp for the sentiment and a small flower image from another Concord & 9th set.

The card bass is SU Poppy Parade which matches the Altenew Crimson in very well.

I hope you all have a great Friday and a very happy weekend. Thanks for looking,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Altenew Wallpaper Art set and Concord & 9th Herringbone Background stamp

Paper: SU Poppy Parade and X-Press It Blending card stock

Ink: Altenew Crimson and Blush ink, Gina K Amalgam black ink, VersaMark

Other: Altenew Wallpaper Art dies, Misti, white embossing powder, SU banner die, pink candy dots, heat tool, Gemini Jr, foam tape

Coffee With Friends

Hello,

Here is another card that I made this past weekend. Following the  CAS(E) this Sketch! sketch, I used the Concord and 9th Coffee Turnabout set to make my card.The background turnabout stamp is stamped with four rotations using SU brown inks. Crumb Cake, Soft Suede Baked Brown Sugar, and Early Expresso. The dark brown layers are Early Expresso card stock embossed using the Tayored Expressions Burlap EF. The mat is Poppy Parade card stock.

For the coffee cup, I stamped it several times with Poppy Parade ink to get a nice and dark image. Then I stamped VersaMark ink over it and heat embossed it with clear EP. This step was done 3 times. IRL, it really looks like a ceramic mug. It is cut out with the corresponding set die and popped up with SU dimensionals.

More images from the same stamp set are used to make the inside of the card. The small cup is stamped using Gina K Charcoal Brown ink and then colored with a red Copic marker that is close to the Poppy Parade shade.

As I've said before, I don't drink coffee, but I love all of the coffee themed stamps out there, and I have quite a collection now, LOL. This card is so colorful and "in your face" bright IRL. I love it. I just need to think of someone to send it too. Like me, neither my sister nor bestie drink coffee. We are all tea drinkers.

It's Happy Hump Day tomorrow, so the work week will be more than half over at the end of the day. That's a nice thought!

Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Coffee Blend Turnabout set by Concord & 9th
Paper: SU Whisper White, Early Expresso and Poppy Parade card stocks
Ink: SU Crumb Cake, Baked Brown Sugar, Soft Suede, Early Expresso, Poppy Parade, Gina K Charcoal Brown, VersaMark, Copic Sketch #24
Other: Clear EP, Heat tool, Misti, Concord & 9th dies, TE Burlap EF, Gemini Jr, red Enamel dots, dimensionals

Incredibly Sweet Friends

Hey there all,

Here's a card for this week's Paper Player's Challenge. Ann is hostess with a super fun color challenge, just in time for Valentine's Day. I pulled out a couple of Concord & 9th sets to make my card.

I had a really hard time getting a photo that showed the true colors. The first set I took last night made the red look purple. I guess because it was dark out. I took another set this morning before heading out to work and the colors look more true.

The card base is Pretty In Pink card stock. the large stripes and the little + signs are stamped using Real Red. I love these C&9th dies that cut a small border around them. I cut this one twice, once using Basic Black card stock and the other using Whisper White card stock. The sentiment is stamped using Memento black and real red. The flowers and leaves are Real Red and Pretty In Pink inks. Since this is a side fold note card, I used a very skinny piece of double sided tape to glue the black and white Baker's twine across the front of the card before popping the center element up using foam tape. The small bow is separate and glued on using SU glue dots. Finally, I added a tiny black enamel dot in the center of the die cut flower.

These macaroons look so yummy, don't they?

For the inside, I used the C&9th Heart Turnabout set, using black, Smoky Slate, Pretty In Pink and Real Red for the four turns.

What a super fun color combo! I may have another card for the challenge before Friday comes since I had fun with this one. Thanks for looking in today.
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Thank You For Being set, Peak Through Patterns set, Hugs and Kisses Turnabout set all by Concord & 9th
Paper: Pretty In Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red card stocks
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, Pretty In Pink, Real Red, Smoky Slate
Other: Thank You For Being dies, black and white Baker's Twine, thin double sided tape, foam tape, SU glue dots, Gemini Jr, Taylored Expressions black enamel dot

Thank You Kindly

Hello to all,

I've had a relaxing day at my craft table today stamping and listening to the 70s on 7. If you are "older" and like me spent your high school days in the 70s, it's a great station. While driving to the place I was working on Thursday morning, I caught Shaun Cassidy as a guest DJ on the station and he put together an awesome playlist. Of course he had lots of stories to go with. I almost didn't want to get out of my car when I arrived!  Luckily, Sirius XM has it "on demand," so I was able to listen to the whole two hour program this morning. Anyhoo, I hope you all had as enjoyable and relaxing Saturday as I.

I wanted to make a card using Jen's sketch for this week's Freshly Made Sketches. After cruising through my options, I decided to use the Botanical Prints Medley from the SU Mini Catalog. I love these prints.

I thought a rectangle worked better than a square with the pre-printed die cut that I choose to used. I also wanted a little more interest in the background. The SU Brick and Mortar EF worked well for this. The sentiment is stamped on one of the pre-printed banners from the medley. I did use my Misti to ensure it was nice and straight. The image and the sentiment banner are popped up using Dimensionals.

I used a Gina K set for the inside sentiment and combined it with a stamp from the Botanical Prints stamp set and a corner image from Concord & 9th.

I liked how this card turned out so much that I made three more, all slightly different, but all using Jen's sketch and the Botanical Prints Medley.

Each has a different sentiment on the inside matching the sentiment on the outside. The inside layout is the same as on the first card. Two of these use the Coastal Weave EF for the background.

There may be even more stamping here this evening. Thanks for looking in,
Colleen

Supplies
Stamps: Botanical Prints set by Stampin' Up
Paper: Smoky Slate card stock by Stampin' Up
Ink: Charcoal Gray by Gina K
Other: SU Botanical Prints Product Medley, SU embossing folders, SU clear enamel dots, Die-namics Stitched Curved Rectangle die, Gemini Jr, Misti, Dimensionals

XOXOXOXOXO

Hello,

Boy, it's been a week! Today was no exception, and I'm tired after a very long day, and a long drive home.

Yesterday after we got home from having dinner out with friends, I sat down and made a fairly quick card for this week's Paper Players Challenge. Claire is the hostess with a Valentine's Day theme challenge. I'm also using this week's Color Throwdown Challenge. Their colors this week work well for a Valentine's card.

I pulled out some Zig Watercolor markers. I'm definitely in need of practice!

The flower-heart image is stamped on Strathmore water color paper with Gina K amalgam black ink. I used my heat tool to ensure the ink was totally dry then used blue and pink Zig markers and an aqua painter to color it. After it was good and dry, I made a mask and stamped the Concord & 9th Sunshine Turnabout stamp using Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick ink for all four turns. I removed the mask, layered it with a pink Stitched Scalloped Frame onto a dark blue card base.

I've used another Concord & 9th set on the inside.

Whew, I'm glad that I was able to get this posted tonight since the deadline is tomorrow and I'll be gone all day again. I think I'm looking at another very long day. Luckily, it's Friday!

I hope you all have a great Friday and weekend. Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: All My Love, Type Talk, Heartfelt Smile, Sunshine Turnabout sets all by Concord & 9th

Paper: Strathmore water color paper, SU Whisper White card stock, Taylored Expressions dark blue and pink card stock

Ink: Gina K black amalgam ink, SU Night of Navy, Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick, VersaMark, Zig Water color markers

Other:  White EP, Heat tool, Misti, Gemini Jr, Avery Elle Stitched Scalloped Frame die, Gina K masking paper, aqua painter, dimensionals, SU clear heart embellishments

Eat All the Cake

Happy Sunday evening all,

I hope your weekend was a good one. We spent yesterday evening playing cards at our neighbors house. A fun time was had by all.

I had some stamping time in the afternoon and made another birthday card for my stash. Many different supplies and companies used to make this one. The layout is based on the current Freshly Made Sketch. I omitted the sentiment banner.

I think this would be a good kids card with the primary colors. The turnabout stamp and the dies are from Concord & 9th. The square die is from Avery Elle, the background stencil is from Hero Arts, the balloon is from Lawn Fawn, and the paper and inks are SU.

More Concord & 9th stamps and dies here.

.

Have a good week and thanks for looking in,
Colleen