Time for Color!

Good Morning!  It's Monday, and that means I have to finish my Colour Me...! challenge card before the deadline, right?  Well, it didn't happen on time...but here is my card.

This had me stumped or a while, plus I did NO stamping this last week.  Not any challenges, not any "just because" cards.  So, I am trying to get things going.  Well, I saw a sneak peak of the Technique Lovers Challenge last night, and decided to incorporate it with these colors.  Anne calls this technique "Punched Strips" and it looked simple and fun.

I embossed a layer of whisper white with the Cloudy Day folder, lightly sponged, and placed it on the bermuda bay card base.  The brights pattern paper stack worked perfectly for this challenge, and I used my old butterfly punch for some whimsy.  The sentiment is from "On Your Birthday" paired up with both tag punches.  Daffodil grosgrain ribbon and candy dots add the final touches.

This was nearly done on time, but better late than never!  Hopefully, I'll be back next week!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

I'm Back for More Colour!

Hello  and Happy Monday!

Last week was the first week I missed the Colour Me...! challenge since I discovered it this summer.  I was thinking about it, but had other things on my mind.  I had surgery on the 16th, so the days prior were spent taking care of other stuff.  I got home on the 18th, slept most of the 19th...but did some stamping yesterday, which felt wonderful!  Originally as I typed this last night, I didn't have any catch-up challenges included.  But this morning, I found a bit of Monday mojo!  Before I describe my card for the challenge I missed last week, let's look at the current one.

I looked on my scrap pile...which never seems to shrink...and I had pieces of pattern paper in all of these colors, plus a large piece of sahara sand.  Perfect to make 2 cards. I decided to use various punches to make vases for these "Pocket Silhouettes" from SU.  I used the ornament punch, scallop circle, and large oval, and just cut off pieces to get the shape I wanted.  The sentiment is from "Whimsical Words" punched out with the modern label punch.  I sponged pool party ink and added blushing bride candy dots.  I also had fun scrunching up some seam binding as my final detail.  This card is nearly flat, but I think it has a lot of interest.  Who knew 4 punches on one card could work?

Now, for last week's combo...which was a bit tricky.  Somehow, I remembered that I wanted to use this "By the Tide" stamp set...and I'm so glad I did!

My card base is coastal cabana, with a layer of basic black pattern paper.  On my layer of whisper white, I stamped the coral with hello honey, then used a pencil eraser to make the bubbles for the fish.  I dry embossed it with the Cuttlebug divine swirls folder.  My fish is stamped with Stazon jet black, colored with the honey and cabana markers, then heat embossed with clear powder.  After fussy cutting, I popped him up with dimensionals.  The sentiment is from "Word Play."  After cutting it out, I used my black marker to outline the tag.  I colored white organdy ribbon with my markers, threaded the tag, then used my heat tool to shrivel it up a bit.  Love this final touch!  

Well, I need to take it easy today.  Stamping may not be a rigorous hobby, but I am still in recovery mode.  Guess I'll take a nap and dream up designs for more cards!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Color Me a Bit Early!

Happy Happy Sunday!

It took me a while, but I finally got my weekend stamping mojo going!  I was gone for most of yesterday, and surfed blogs in the evening.  After church and breakfast this morning, I caught in the quicksand that is Facebook.  Ha!  But I realized that I have a very busy day tomorrow, and would not have time to complete the Colour Me...! challenge. I decided I better do it today, which is "early" according to my usual practice.  This week is the monochromatic challenge...always tough for me!  

I had some different DSP out, from Garden Walk, or something.  I wanted to stamp over it with that big beautiful "Swallowtail"...what a mistake!  I can never get that image even!  LOL  So...I had some paper from the brights pattern stack.  I used this side that is a bit lighter, and stamped the large flowers from "Inspired by Nature" in basic gray ink.  In the upper left corner, my sentiment is from "Work of Art," and I sponged a sun with sunbeams in daffodil delight ink.  I added satin ribbon and large pearls to highlight the birthday wish from "Teeny Tiny Wishes" which is layered on various punches.  I have a friend who LOVES yellow, and her birthday is this week.  Perfect!







Now, since I am stamping "early," I am back to catching up with past challenges.  Just as a reminder, this blog challenge at the start of 2014.  I had already set a personal goal of completing each of the SCS color challenges this year (not necessarily in order) so when I found Colour Me, I decided to do the same.

Here is CMCC #12.  These subtle color challenges are almost as tough for me as the monochromatic ones!

The cool blue tones made me think of a cool winter theme.  I stuck with that, even with the warmer pear pizzazz color.  My card base is soft sky (FINALLY bought some!) On the strip of whisper white, I stamped SU's "Serene Snowflakes" in soft sky and coastal cabana, then sponged soft sky along the edges.  My pear circle was cut with the Sizzix die.  I brought out "Zoo Review" for this cute polar pear, which is stamped in basic gray.  After punching it out with the extra large scallop circle, I did some more sponging and stamping.  I also added some Dazzling Details on the ground beneath the bear's feet.  First time I have used this stuff...it was stashed away...and now I imagine it will be used quickly!  My sentiment is from "Happiest Birthday Wishes."  I added some silver ribbon for the final sparkling detail.

And finally for today, here is CMCC #13.  I LOVE this rich, vibrant palette!  This is more in my comfort zone, especially as fall is quickly approaching.

I decided to combine these rich colors in my own pattern paper.  I stamped leaves from SU's "Gently Falling" which is a 2-step stamp set.  After using the cajun craze, crushed curry, and rich razzleberry on very vanilla card stock, I sponged island indigo for a dark afternoon autumn sky.  I matted it with island indigo and placed it on a cajun craze card base.   My sentiment is from "Whimsical Words." I paired the scallop circle (very vanilla) and extra large scallop circle (crushed curry) punches, with dimensionals in between.  I added just a bit of cajun striped grosgrain ribbon for the final detail.




So, those are my cards from today's little stamp fest.  Lots of fun!  I hope you enjoyed them, too!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Triple Challenge Card

Happy Friday!

Today I have a card I made on Wednesday.  I intended to  re-do it, because I wasn't thrilled with my execution...but I just started a new consulting job (WooHoo!) so I haven't had time to stamp.  Since one of the challenges is The Paper Players, I decided to go ahead and post it.  I used the center vertical row...green, embossing, and ribbon!

This card also works for the SCS Sketch challenge #503 (last week) and SCS Color challenge #494 (this week) which prescribed wild wasabi, melon mambo, and basic gray.

I started with a basic gray card base, and added some melon polka dot paper from the pattern stack.  I used the scallop trim punch on the bottom edge.  My wild wasabi card stock was embossed with the fancy fans folder, and I used a corner rounder punch on the outside panels.  The floral images are from SU's "Vintage Vogue" and the sentiment is from Stampabilities.  All of the stamping was done with versamark on whisper white card stock, then I used clear embossing powder.  With sponge daubers, I added the wasabi and melon ink, in the emboss resist method.  The center panel had flowers, then I realized I need a sentiment that fit the sketch.  When I re-do this, I'll make that panel fit better!  Melon mambo polka dot ribbon and candy dots finish it off.

So, I like my design...just need to tweak it a bit.  Tell me what you think!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Birthday Giraffe

Hello Stamping Friends!

Quick post here, just in time for The Friday Mashup deadline!  I really wanted to do both parts of this Mashup, which meant doing a shaker card.  But it just wasn't happening!  I still wanted to participate, so I did the other part which was to include an animal.

In my efforts to use scraps and such, I had this card base with this Autumn Spice DSP already attached.  So I decided to go with the earthy colors.  I pulled out SU's "Zoo Review" for this giraffe.  My mom absolutely LOVES giraffes!  I plan on giving  this to her later this year (her birthday is in November.)  I love how the hints of the color pool party in the dsp works for a clear African sky.  My image was stamped on vey vanilla card stock with Stazon jet black, and colored with more mustard and soft suede markers, then I added grass and sponging for the ground and sky and matted it on soft suede textured card stock.  I used "Inspire by Nature" for backbe ready for the nextground grass on the card base.  The sentiment is from "Teeny Tiny Wishes." paired with the word window and scallop oval punches.  Ruffled ribbon finishes it off.

Now, it's time to clean up my mess so I can be ready for the next Mashup to be posted in 2 days!  WooHoo!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim

Inspired by Pillows

Hello!  It's another post for a Monday!

Every now and then, I remember to look at The Card Concept blog.  It's still new to me, so I need to put it on my calendar, so to speak.  This one really caught my eye last week.  I actually made 3 cards; all the same design, but I was trying to get one "good enough" for a picture.  Fortunately, dear hubby was around today to take care of it!  This inspiration for the challenge is here:  

I instantly thought of the color summer starfruit and decided to pair it with smokey slate, as in the shadows of the photo.  I was also inspired by the pillows and the flowers, which I used in stamping and embossing.  I consider my card "Clean and Layered."  The top layer of smokey slate is embossed with SU's petals-a-plenty folder.  My stamped flower is from "Baroque Motifs" and the sentiment is from "Hello Again," all stamped on whisper white squares.  I added some stitched satin ribbon for the final detail.

This should be an easy design to make in many colors!  Now I am off to The Card Concept blog to comment on a few other submissions!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}

Kim

Color Me Addicted

I'm addicted to Monday morning stamping!!!

So, I wake up and realize "Today is the deadline for the Colour Me challenge!"  With the holiday weekend and various projects I had last week, I had barely given it a thought.  I mean, I don't HAVE to do this challenge every week, right?

So, I did morning prayer with my husband then we ate breakfast, and played a game of cards. (We play 500 rummy and keep track of wins in a notebook...it's a silly little competition which he is winning by quite a margin.)  Then I dazed at my Facebook posts and took care of a few other things.

Hmmm, and my mind went back to the challenge.  By this time I had 55 minutes to create a card and post it.  It became a challenge just to do the challenge, no matter what my card looked like!  

Here is the palette for Colour Me...! challenge #35.  A bit tricky, I must say.  I remember I wanted to do something with water and fish and make a shaker card (another blog challenge) but that wasn't happening in this rush!

When a color combo is tough for me, I often do a collage style in my stamping.  I used SU's stamp set "Bliss" for this card.  True confessions:  I stamped the large flourish once, then inked it up again to make a pattern, but I dropped my block.  The mistake turned into a new plan to stamp all over this vanilla card stock!  I decided I needed some interest, so I used my top note die.  The sentiment is punched out with the scallop oval and sponged a bit.  I added a scrap of pink pirouette that is dry embossed with SU's petals-a-plenty.  Satin ribbon, which is scrunched up a bit, and some large pearls add a girly touch.  Between the embellishments and dimensionals, this quick card turned out rather plump!  Ha!

Well, I am happy to say that I BARELY got this posted on time!  In fact, when I first posted, I only had the pictures in the post...I am writing up the details after the Linky closed.  I didn't even know where the good camera is, so I used my phone.  Clearly, there was no time to do past challenges in this post.  Perhaps I should start those this afternoon for next week!

Inky {{{HUGS}}}
Kim