TOOL TIME / SJCI #37 & FTL #43...

Just a quick card before bed... I'm really lovin' the sketch for this week's Clean & Simple FTL #43, as a matter of fact, I may do another card using it before this week is over! Stacey picked some cool, manly colors this week as well, for her JCI #37.

I used Stampin' Up!'s very guy friendly set, Totally Tool. I paper-pieced the measuring tape, dropped a shadow with a light grey copic around it, and threw a few manly aged copper brads on for good measure- no pun intended!

Nighty night...

ONE OF A KIND DAD / KWerner's #53...

I finally got to ink up my Stampin' Up! set, Card Games. When I saw the colors of Kristina's Color Inspiration #53, I decided they were great manly colors for a father's day card. My dad's probably boarding a ship in Montreal for a 7 day cruise down to Boston, right now. He loves to play cards, too, so I'm sending him wishes for luck when he hits the casino tonight. (Cruises are one of the few times my mom let's him gamble~LOL!

I wrote the sentiment myself, I think it's more personal, and since the card is kinda casual, I thought dad would like it better that way!

Bye for now...

BUCK-A-ROO BABY / CTD #43 & S2GTT #11...

I played along with Color Throwdown's Challenge #11 this week, combining it with a challenge from Shirley's 2 Girls blog [hosted on Karolyn's sweet blog] who created this little "Buck-a-Roo" stamp.

I used Copics on this image, they're really addictive! I've been buying up a bunch of stamps to color them with lately! I did some faux stitching, too. My hubby was wondering why I was running around this morning frantically looking for a thumbtack and a pice of cardboard, when I should have been getting ready for work! I made the card last night [around 1am?], but when I woke up this morning I felt it needed a little something else!

Enjoy your day!

SURFER IAN / The Greeting Farm's CCC #4...

Meet Ian, he's a cute little guy that lives over at The Greeting Farm! I just got some of their stamps in the mail 2 days ago & they are SO CUTE! I went to their blog & found a challenge there I thought I'd participate in... the Case of the Curious Card.

I used Copics to color Ian, and a bunch of Stampin' Up! DSP scraps. I sponged a little Whisper White Craft Ink onto the retired Cool Caribbean cardstock base, and the "waves" were punched with a new EK Success punch, out of Baja Breeze, Not quite Navy and retired Soft sky stock. Kraft was used for the sand. What you can't see is that the water & sand were embossed with Big shot Texture plates. The ribbon and buttons are from all over...

FLOWERY HELLO / RSCC #6 & Fall-to Layout #42...

Here's a quick card with barely any stamping... for inspration I turned to Dawn's 6th Raspberry Suite Color Challenge & Clean & Simple Stamping's Fall-to Layout #42.

I got a visit from the guy in brown yesterday with Stampin' Up! goodies for my Big Shot... so for this card I used the Cherry Blossom Embosslits Die , the Simple Flower Embosslits Die , and the Scribbles, Swirls Sizzlits Die. The papers are all retired... gotta use 'em sometime! I also used some Button Latte, for the centers of the flowers, for kicks! I picked the ribbon up at a local craft & hobby mega store...

Enjoy your day!

NASTURTIUMS / SSSC #18 & FTTC #16...

I played along with Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge this week using my *new* awesome Flourishes set, Nasturtiums. This card also fits with Flourishes' Timeless Tuesday Challenge, hosted by Silke Ledlow, to make a square card.

I've admired Flourishes stamps for a very long time & finally took the plunge when I saw this set. I ordered this & 2 more sets during the release last Friday & found them in my mailbox yesterday... how awesome! (if anyone from Stamping Bella is reading please notice how fast that is! I love you guys, but really? Sorry... I digress...)

Anyways... these beautiful stamps seemed to work perfectly with Karen's sketch, not to mention another chance to break out the Copics...yay! I'm finally really enjoying them!

I used scraps, Urban Garden & So Saffron Patterns dsp from Stampin' Up!... so I was being green... didn't even crank up the heat gun!

Have a great day!

CASE'd ITTY BITTY URBAN HAPPINESS / SSC 5.15.09...

For the Stamp Something Challenge this week, we had to case a card by Lauren, and let me tell you how hard it was to decide! I did finally pick just one...... just stunning, isn't it?

I did make a mistake, though... this was supposed to be a thank you card. I didn't even realize it until it was too late!

All images, paper & ink are Stampin' Up! I stamped the grass from the setvInspired by Nature in Kiwi Kiss on Very Vanilla stock. I added the Baja flowers from the Itty Bitty Buds hostess level 2 set. The dsp is Urban Oasis, set on a base of kraft stock, matted in Basic Gray. The ribbon is Basic Gray Taffeta.

This card took less than 10 minute to make, and I'll be going back to Lauren's site when I need a little inspiration!

FUN & FAST THANKS / KWerner's #52...

These are beautiful colors for Kristina's Color Inspiration this time, but challenging when there are 5!

This is one of my favorite Stampin' Up! sets, Fun & Fast Notes... here I used both my markers and the ink pads to watercolor the image. As you can see, I also tested out a new border punch from EK Success... maybe I got a little carried away?

Have a great week!

PETALS & STEMS / Mojo #86...

I finally ordered some stamps from Verve! This cute set is called Petals & Stems.... so I decided to play around with it for Julee's Mojo Sketch this week. I also ordered some of their Plain Janes, I can't wait to play with those!

GERRY's BIRTHDAY WISH / TECC #68...

We're celebrating Jeff's dad's birthday today... so I decided to use Taylor's Sketch #68 for his card. Not to be unkind, but he tends to not mind less masculine things, so don't be surprised by the color scheme!

I used Taylor's cute little set, Sweet Celebration, for this card, and colored it with Copics. I stamped the image in Momento Tuxedo Black onto Choice Snow White paper. I'm so glad I bought this paper, it's SOOOOO AWESOME for using with Copics! The patterned paper is Stampin' Up!'s Rainbow Sherbert designer series paper. It seems pretty okay for a guys card, I guess. The oval & scalloped oval the sentiment is on is are punches from SU! as well.

Have a beautiful weekend!

FLY ME TO THE MOON / 365C #71+#74 & CTD #42...

It's late, so I'll have to add the deets in the a.m.!

A CAT ATE MY BIRD / SJCI #36 & TECC #67...

Two of the many highlights in my "over-stressed, never enough time, staying up late into the night" stamping life are color challenges (thanks for this great combo, Stacy!) and paper-piecing!

I played around with Stacy's Jewelry Color Inspiration #36 and Taylor's TECC #67, tonight. I thought the 2 challenges worked well together.

The image is from Shirley's 2 Girls, called Cat with Feathers. I really like their images and the fact that they lend themselves to paper-piecing! S2G just released a bunch of new baby themed stamps (so cute!) and you can check them out here.

Bye for now!

LEMONADE STAND AWARD from Stacey & BLOG CANDY!

WOW!

Stacey [Stacey's Stampin' Stage] gave me the Lemonade Stand Award! How cool is that? And perfect timing, too! I just went over the 10,000 hit mark! Sounds like a reason to celebrate with blog candy, right? I'll get there in a minute...

Anyways, the Lemonade Stand Award is given to bloggers who show great attitude and gratitude. So it is now my turn to pass the award to some very talented women who have visited my blog (and I theirs) & who show great attitude and gratitude.

1. Amy @ Scrapping Mommy - Amy has mad skills (think Napolean Dynamite ~ LOL)! And a beautiful blog!
2. Sandy @ Stamp N' Stuff - She's a talented gal, making a card a day!
3. Amy @ Tethered 2 Home - Lots of 'FABulous' 3D stuff!
4. Carla @ The Southern Stamper - Multitudes of creativity!!!
5. Erica @ Inked Up & Ready to Play - A rockin' & creative lady!

The rules of the award (To pick up the Lemonade Stand Award):

• Comment on this blog.- Cut and paste the award logo and use it in your own
  blog.


• Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.


• Link to your nominees within your blog post.


• Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.


• Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your
  appreciation.

Now for the blog candy...

Anyone who comments on this post will be eligible to win a pack of Stampin' Up! Designer Series Paper of their choice! I will choose a winner using Random. org from all comments posted until 11:59pm CST on May 29th, 2009 and will post the winner on May 30th. Only 1 entry per person, and it must be a comment on this post!

Anyone who signs up through me to be an SU! demonstrator will be eligible to win a free SU! stamp set of their choice (up to $49.95). The deadline to sign up as a demo is May 29th, 2009 at 11:59pm CST. I will choose a winner using Random. org from those that sign up & I'll announce the winner on May 30th, 2009. Please email me to get the code you'll need to sign up!

TRENDY THANKS / TSSC #69 & TPEC #14...

Light Blue, Medium or Dark Blue,

Green & White

I inked up a Stampin' Up! set tonight for the first time, Trendy Trees. It's a really cute little set... I know, I say that about every set by Stampin' Up!, but I REALLY DO THINK THEY ARE ALL CUTE! Also used for this card are some Baja buttons from Button Bouquet, and Urban Garden Designer Series Paper.

I tried two new challenges tonight, as well. A color challenge from The Pink Elephant, and a sketch challenge provided at Mary Jo Price-Williams's blog, Technostamper. A couple more great places to find inspiration!

I made a little flap that I can put a secret messagein later! I punched out 2 - 1/2 inch circles, attached them with eyelets using my cropodile, and wound twine to close the flap.

Have a great night - I'm finally off to bed!