Hi

A fun little card for a friend from church who is having knee surgery this week.  Don't you just love it when a card falls together, specially when you had been trying to figure out how to use one of the elements?  I've had this self-adhesive felt border for several months and was quite at a loss as to how I was going to use it.  I had received it from someone and it isn't exactly a "subtle" color.  But with this sketch from Viva La Verve, I saw some real possibility.  And I really like it, so you might be seeing more of it in the future.

Challenges:
Viva La Verve July week 5--sketch
C.R.A.F.T. #165--use stitching (I stitched a border around the base layer of the card--even pulled out my sewing machine for this one)
DYSU #82--for a friend

Supplies:
Paper: Basic Grey
Stamps: Skipping Stones Design "Dandelion Dreams"
Dies/punches: Spellbinders "Labels 5"; Martha Stewart butterfly punch
Embellishments: self-adhesive felt border; mini pearls

Window view

 This week at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long, the challenge is to create a card/project based on the gorgeous inspiration photo below.  Doesn't that make you ready for Christmas?  Ok, I am NOT ready to speed things up that much, but I could use a little cooling off.  The temps have been in the 90s here all week so far!

 The sponsor this week is Meljen's Designs.  The snowman on my card is one of their images; isn't it adorable?  Anyway, the prize for this week is to be a guest designer sometime in September!  How fun.

Looking at my card, I bet you can guess which way the inspiration took me, huh?  I went with the color theme of white with a bit of green and a little pop of gold.  Then last week, the challenge from Just Us Girls was to create a faux window scene.  I realize that it is too late to enter that challenge, but just couldn't get it out of my head.  I thought this image would work perfectly and then when I looked at the inspiration photo again . . . it has a window!!!  So, it was meant to be and I just had to give it a try.  I think it's pretty cute.  Make sure you go on over to the CSAYL blog and join in the inspiration challenge.  I'd love to see what you come up with.  Maybe even try the faux window technique.

Supplies:
Stamps: Meljen's Designs digital image--snowman; Verve's "Ornamental Christmas"--sentiment
Dies and embossing folders: Verve's "Charming Ovals"; cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder
Embellishments: gold brads, white flocking powder

Not a card

 This is a long post because this box (the "compleatly" template by My Time Made Easy) is super cute and has a bunch of different parts that you need to see.  I made a birthday card (see this post) for a twelve year old boy and made this matching box to hold his gift(s).

 This is one of the combinations of boxes that can fit into the template cover.  I used one large box and two small boxes.  They are really good sized.  As you can see a roll of quarters or a small bag of m&m's can fit inside easily.  The large box is holding a gift certificate, I didn't think it was interesting enough to hold. : )

 For each box I used a matching die and stamped a rocket and coordinating sentiments to tie them all together and fit the theme of the box.

Challenges:
Creative Inspirations #172--Altered art/anything but a card

Supplies:
Paper: DCWV; Papertrey Ink enchanted evening cardstock
Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Boy Basics: Out of this world"
Dies: Spellbinders labels four
ribbon recycled from a gift

Brother

 This is the inspiration photo for this week's Skipping Stones Design challenge.  I really loved the color combo, but needed to make a birthday card fro my brother-in-law so I didn't think I could pull off the melon and berry.  I went with the map theme and the tan, grey, and blue color combo.  The medallion was created with a SU! scalloped circle punch, a spellbinders circle die sponged with ink and stamped with a circle image and layered with a My Mind's Eye brad from the "lush" collection.  I really like how it came out and will be using that combo again I believe.  I'm just a little afraid it looks a bit "girly"  but maybe it's just sophisticated.

Challenges:
Viva La Verve--sketch (July week 3)
Skipping Stones Design #137--inspiration photo


Supplies:
Paper: DCWV, Basic Grey
Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Simply Stationery"; Verve "World's Greatest"--sentiment
Dies/punches: Spellbinders standard circles, large; SU! scalloped circle
Accessories: twine; My Mind's Eye brad

Love

 Isn't this such a sweet picture?  Maybe they did this, but it would be perfect for a engagement announcement.  Anyway, it is the inspiration picture for this week's {PIN}spirational challenge #16.

Sometimes, I have a hard time with inspiration challenges because I like to be told exactly how something should be done.  But my anniversary (13!) is coming up at the end of the month and this picture was a good jumping off point.  The first thing that grabbed me right away was the woman's denim shirt and the red check's on his shirt.  I have denim look paper from a DCWV pack and knew that's where I was going to start.  Then I pulled in the red and the green from the field and the weathered wood sign!!  I also had some wood/board paper in that pack and "white washed" it a bit with white craft ink and then stamped my sentiment on top.  I'm really proud of that. : )

Challenges:
Viva La Verve--sketch (July week 2)
{PIN}spirational challenges #16
Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday--patterned paper only (not a lick of cardstock on this card other than the base)

Supplies:
Paper: DCWV; Basic Grey
Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Damask Designs"
Dies: Spellbinders standard circles, large; Sweet 'n Sassy heart dies
Other: Cinnamon stickles

Sketch it

Hi, everyone!  This week's challenge at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long (CSAYL) is to use a sketch, any sketch for your card/project.  Our sponsor this week is Limited Runs Digital and do they ever have some cute images!!

This little cheery snowman is the one I chose to work with and my sketch is the Viva La Verve July week 1 sketch.  I'm a little behind this month as it is already the 3rd week of July and I am doing the sketch for the 1st week.  But that's ok, 'cause this sketch is really fun.  Make sure you hop on over to the CSAYL blog and check out the other designer's cards, then go make one of your own.  We'd love it if you played along.

Here's a close up of my flourish (I used an Inkadinkado flourish stamp with versamark to lay it out on the card and then used cinnamon stickles to create the actual flourish.)--it pretty sparkly in real life--and the cute little snowman.  I outlined him with a glitter pen to give him an icy look.

Challenges:
Viva La Verve--sketch
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge--twinkle, twinkle little star
Stampin' Sisters in Christ--sparkle
Delightful Challenges--Christmas in July

Supplies:
Papers: DCWV Christmas pack
Stamps: Limited Runs Digital stamp, sentiment from Verve's "Ornamental Christmas"
Accessories: Spellbinders oval, large; versamark and crystal embossing powder; cinnamon stickles; glitter pen

Let it Snow

I hope you enjoy my little creation today.  Actually, for me, it is a rather large creation!  I usually make an A2 (4 1/4x5 1/2in) card because, well, you can make 2 out of an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.  But friends of mine are having a yard sale to help raise money for their adoption of a little boy from Haiti and I have been helping price items.  A benefit to helping out is that I get a preview of all the stuff.  There were a couple partial packages of blank cards and matching envelopes that I snatched up (I gave them a donation, of course) So, this card is made with one of those bases and is 6 1/2 x 5.  I also snagged some glimmer mists, Stampin' up cardstock, stampin' pastels, basic black ink pad, and heat and stick powder.  Does anyone know what exactly you used Heat n' Stick poweder for?  If you do, please let me know in the comments.  I'd really appreciate it. 
Now, on to the card details.  The challenge this week at Christmas Stampin All Year Long is to use a stamp that hasn't seen much ink.  There is no sponsor this week, but there is still a prize: a guest designer spot for a week in August!  How fun is that?  I got this snowman set (Let it snow from Gina K. Designs) a couple of months ago and had not even cut it apart.  I will definitely be using it a lot from now on: this little guy is soooo cute!  The sentiment is also from the same set.  Thanks for stopping by and if you haven't already, head over to the CSAYL blog and check out the challenge and the other Design Team members' creations.

Challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #80--snowmen
Stampin' Sisters In Christ--Follow the plan: at least 1 circle/oval, at least 2 patterned papers, at least 1 embellishment
DRS Designs--blue Christmas
Supplies:
Paper: DCWV; Stampin' Up! Night of Navy cardstock
Stamps: Gina K. Designs "Let it snow"
Punches: Martha Stewart snowflake die; Stampin' Up! scalloped border punch

Holiday Cheer

This is my first project as a Design Team member for Christmas Stampin' All Year Long!  This week's challenge is to use vellum.  There is no sponsor this week, but there is still a prize: 8-6x6in papers.  Who can't use some new paper in their stash?  Head on over to the CSAYL blog and check out the details and the projects from the other design team members.
In real life, this card is a gorgeous eggplant color and I just love it in this monochromatic tone.  I used vellum layers to give it a little more variety without the contrast of a different color.  It really lets the white on the image panel and the sentiment panel stand out.  Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges:
52 {Christmas} card throwdown--anything goes
Lollipop Crafts #84--Christmas in July
The Squirrel and The Fox--Christmas in July
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #18--sketch

Supplies:
Stamps: snowflakes from an inkadinkado Christmas set; random tree stamp; Verve "Ornamental Christmas" (sentiment)
Dies: Verve "Charming Ovals"

Glory to God

 I guess I must be in a unique mood this week: I just realized that both this card and the one in my last post (circle cut into the front of a card) have a bit of a twist.  This card is a gatefold card as you can see in the second picture.  It's always fun to try something different and see how it works.

Challenges:
Sweet Sketch Wednesdays #160--sketch (see it above)
Christmas Crafting #13--two or more folds

Supplies:
Papers: DCWV Christmas pack
Stamps: Verve "Richly blessed" (sentiment); Clear Dollar Stamps "Elegant Flourishes"
Punches: Stampin' Up! Scalloped border punch; Ek success flower punch

sparkly birthday

 A little sparkle and shine for a special girl that's turning 14 this month!!  For a little bit of extra fun, I die cut the numbers, covered them in glitter and adhered them to the inside back of the card, then cut out the center of the card front to frame them.

Challenges:
Skipping Stones Design #134--sketch
Creative Inspirations #169--anything goes
Delightful challenges--Celebrations
Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday challenge--circles

Supplies:
Paper: DCWV
Stamps: PTI "Fresh Alphabet"; Verve "Bithday Phrases"
Dies: Spellbinders classic scalloped circles, large and classic circles, large; PTI "by the numbers" and "Mat Stack 2"