Thursday, June 14, 2007

Chocolate Rose Thanks


I just love pink and brown, don't you? I made this card for this week's sketch challenge. This is a very neat, easy to do sketch. I still have most of the papers from the Stampin' Up Loves Me designer paper collection (since I'm a hoarder), so I need to make some stuff from it. This was a great opportunity since you can use the double sided paper to make the putting the pieces together much easier.

I took a 4 inch by 5 1/4 inch piece of the designer paper and cut from corner to corner both ways. (Probably the hardest part of this was cutting the original rectangle, as I wanted the stripes to be going vertical, and the designer paper has the stripes going diagonally!!) Then I flipped the top and bottom triangles over to reveal the other side. I glued them down and attached the brown stitched ribbon from the Seaside collection of Ribbon Originals from SU. This covers any wonky seams. The center image is very simple, just the single flower image from the Heartfelt Thanks set by SU! stamped in Regal Rose, with the outline stamp in Chocolate Chip. I cannot do the two-step stamping with out my trusty Stamp-a-ma-jig, thank goodness for that tool. I stamped the Thanks image in Regal Rose after "rock and rolling" the stamp in Chocolate Chip. Trimmed and matted it in Chocolate Chip and mounted to the card front with dimensionals. How easy is that?

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Coral and Brown Reverse Emboss


This card was inspired by a beautiful card made by Nichole Heady I saw on her blog, "Capture the Moment". Let's just say I'd like to capture her talent as well as her creativity! Nichole has a great tutorial for this technique of reverse embossing, and I just had to try it with my Reverse Prints hostess set by Stampin' Up. I used the colors from this weeks color challenge which calls for Cameo Coral, Certainly Celery, and Chocolate Chip, with an optional Tempting Turquoise. I opted OUT of the turquoise for this card...

I used the French Script background stamp in celery on Whisper White, and stamped the main image in Versamark, then clear embossed it. I sponged chocolate chip allover it to reveal the flower image and create a "halo effect" around the image. I then wiped off the excess ink and mounted it onto Chocolate Chip cardstock after I ticket cornered it. I added antique gold brads, tied a piece of brown grosgrain ribbon around and mounted onto a Cameo Coral card base using dimensionals. That's all there is to it! Thanks Nichole for the inspiration! You rock!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Heartfelt Thank You and a New Obsession


I made this card for this week's color challenge on Splitcoast. We were to use Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red and Certainly Celery. I used the main flower image from the Heartfelt Thanks set by Stampin' Up, and colored it in with my eggplant, ruby, and celery markers. I stamped the outline over it in eggplant and always artichoke using my Stamp a ma jig. I used my ticket corner punch on the white and the celery cardstock, and mounted them on the ruby red cardstock. I added the gold brads and attached it to my eggplant card base with dimensionals.

For the circle accent, I used my markers to color in the Thank You Very Much stamp from the Riveting set by Stampin' Up, then cut just outside the line. I need to get the 1 1/4" circle punch, as it would have been MUCH easier. Then I mounted it onto a 1 3/8" eggplant circle, and attached with a dimensional. One more step would have made this perfect for the sketch challenge this week, except I couldn't figure out how to attach the strip across the center front without covering up most of the flower. Oh well.

Isn't it funny how you can stumble across a technique or design and you just get obsessed? This week's technique challenge was to make an origami shirt out of designer paper. Cambria Turnbow (a very talented lady I might add) has an excellent tutorial on her blog. The step by step pictures are very helpful. I've made several of them, although I have had yet to make a card using them. But aren't they adorable? Hopefully soon I can put them to use. Enjoy!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Happiness Always

Sometimes being under pressure to get a card done can be a good thing. My best friend Patsy's anniversary is in a few days, and I just remembered today! Got to get a card made and made FAST! I had the idea to use the Happy Anniversary stamp from Favorite Greetings set by Stampin' Up!, but naturally I can't find that stamp! I must have used it a while back and didn't put it back, and my house is like a black hole sometimes.

As I was looking through my collection of stamps, I came across the Happy Harmony set, a Sell-a-bration set I hadn't used yet. EUREKA! There is a stamp in there which says "Happiness Always" which is what I wish for Patsy and her wonderful husband Tim.


For this card, I used a Rose Red card base, and the Palette O' Prints papers in Rose Red and So Saffron. I cannot wait for the new catalog, which will have these papers in 12x12 sheets in lots of colors, including the new In Colors! The designs are so yummy! I used the trio of flowers stamp from Happy Harmony, inking them with my markers in Rose Red, So Saffron, Regal Rose, and Mellow Moss and stamping on Whisper White Cardstock. I cut out the oval shape with my Coluzzle, and mounted it onto a scallop oval in Rose Red (Giga size). The image is attached to the card using dimensionals. I stamped Happiness Always in Rose Red on a scrap of WW and cut out using the Coluzzle. I sponged the edges lightly with Regal Rose, and attached using mono adhesive. The ribbon is from the Sweet Shop collection of the SU Ribbon Originals, and is attached with glue and trimmed at the sides of the card. It matches PERFECTLY!

Now let's just hope this card makes it to Atlanta by Saturday.

Monday, June 04, 2007

My "Assistant"

For the past few weeks I have been working at home, since we are remodeling the office building where I work. It has been very hard to stay focused on work, with TV, the internet, and the bed all calling my name. There is only another couple weeks to go, and I actually can't wait to go back to the office. I have been going in every couple days to get files to work on and get more work to do and review with my boss.

My Assistant
When ever I have a huge set of construction plans to look at, I lay them on my bed which is right behind me when I am at my computer. Unfortunately, Dexter comes along and spreads out on them. He doesn't realize he's not helping. But eventually he gets bored and leaves. Which is good because it is so hard to move him when he looks so happy and comfortable.

Assistant - Up Close