Garden Bunch

Temps in the 90's today (with humidity making it feel like more than 100 degrees) must have drawn me to the ColourQ Challenge which was to use 'Cool Caribbean', black and gray - lol! I combined it with Leigh Penner's fun sketch for CAS(E) This Sketch.  I'll have to admit that the flourish element had me stumped for awhile, but I had a light bulb moment and went with a very old Sizzix die that is

actually a Christmas trio of dies called Flourish, Holly and Mistletoe.  I cut two flourishes - one in gray and one in black - to give it a shadow effect.  The 2 step flowers - Garden bunch stamp set by Reverse Confetti - were stamped with Cool Caribbean and Tempting Turquoise.  The vellum leaves (Large Mariana Vine die by Poppystamps) were on my leftover pile and I cut it into thirds and tucked them in and around the flowers.  I also 'shadowed' the sentiment die (Fancy Words Confetti Cuts by Reverse Confetti) by layering white over Cool Caribbean.  Once again...the RC Edge Essentials Confetti Cuts were used (the tiny scallop and the stitched line)...absolutely LOVE this die set!

ColourQ Challenge

This month is slipping by so quickly and I'm needing two more masculine birthday cards for this weekend! When I saw the colors for the current ColourQ Challenge, I knew I could knock off at least one card!  (Edited to add: This challenge linky was already closed...bummer!)  I'm trying to ignore that OCD part of my personality that isn't happy with the slightly crooked plaid design.  :-(  No time for a redo! I was pleasantly surprised when I dug into my old stash of SU ink pads that Bordering Blue and Taken with Teal were both very inky and got the job done...unlike my much newer Basic Gray which was dry and necessitated me using WPlus9's Silver Lining ink pad instead. Balloon dies are the smallest in SSS Balloons die set.  The sentiment die and stamp are from WPlus9's Sending, Hoping, Wishing stamp/die set.  I used MFT's Plaid Background Builder stamp set for the background.  

PAPER: Taken with Teal, Soft Suede, Bordering Blue, White.

Bunnies and Blooms

This card is a "threefer"...i.e., made for three different challenges:
SCS Free 4 All Challenge - Use circles in the background.
Colour Q Challenge 
Sketchbook Saturday Challenge - sketch by Chupa.

I had happy mail earlier today - several stencils from Simon Says Stamp and
some new stitched dies by Lil Inker Designs!  I picked Tim Holtz distress inks that were close to the Colour Q colors and stenciled the background using TCW's Mini Well Rounded stencil.

Here's my enabler's list:
STAMPS: Rainbow and Clouds Sentiments (Lil Inker Designs)
PAPER: Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, White, Calypso Coral, Groovy Guava
INK: Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade, Weathered Wood, Dried Marigold - all distress inks by TH
ACCESSORIES: Stitched bunny and floral dies by Lil Inker Designs; Buttons by SU, A2 Curved Borders One by Spellbinders; TCW Mini Well Rounded stencil.

Let it Snow!

...that's the theme at Raise the Bar...our last challenge for 2012! Where on earth did the year go?  I can't believe 2012 is almost history!  One of the things I love about Facebook is the instant "news" that comes across from so many stamper friends.  It was there that I learned about Mo Mannings' sale on Mo's Digital Pencil where I purchased this adorable snowman image!  The sentiment is from Flourishes' Warm Winter Wishes set.  I colored with Copics and added some glitter to the snowy guy.  The layout is a tweaked version of Karen Giron's current Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

Colors are based on the ColourQ challenge.

PAPER: Merry DP by MME, Old Olive, X-Press It Blending Card.

Thanks for stopping by...

ColourQ Thank You

I created this quick and easy card for the following challenges:
ColourQ Challenge - Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight, Soft Suede, Kraft, White
Viva la Verve - sketch by Amber
Ways to Use It Challenge - make card of thanks

I stamped the wreath in Soft Suede and added berries in Daffodil Delight and Cherry Cobbler.  Another thank you card to add to my daughter's stash.  She uses them frequently as she goes through her nursing clinical rotations.  Have to hurry on as I'm meeting up with some retired nurses for lunch at 1:00 then will head on to work from there!  I'm hoping one girl who is battling Stage IV cancer will be able to be there.   I didn't work closely with her, but we flew to Las Vegas together several years ago for a series of workshops.  Sweet lady and I'm so sorry she's having to fight the fight of her life!  She's chosen not to take any chemo and has taken care of all business and is ready for eternity.  I admire her courage!  (I knew I couldn't write this without tissues).  Have a blessed day everyone...and I thank you for stopping by!

STAMPS: A Wreath for All Seasons (PTI), With Love (Verve), Borderline (Verve)
PAPER: On the Bright Side One by MME, Cherry Cobbler, Kraft, Soft Suede, White
INK: Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight
ACCESSORIES: Fleur de Lis square die by SB, Circle Nestie, Die-Namics Fishtail Flags STAX by MFT, Mega Oval Lg. Nestie, Large Dot EF.

ColourQ Meets SC

Korin has a great Sketch Challenge this week (although I flipped it so I could create a vertical card), and I combined this with the ColourQ challenge to create a different (for me) Thanksgiving card. I'll have to admit, Orchid Opulence is one of my least liked SU colors, but I dug into my archives and found I still had some CS.  I loved coloring this fall bouquet of posies with Copics and thought they would really pop against the black wonky rectangle!

Here's what I used:
STAMPS: Autumn Blossoms (Flourishes)
PAPER: Jen Yanok pad by K&Co, Orchid Opulence, Black, White (PTI) for card base, X-Press It Blending Card, More Mustard
ACCESSORIES: Wonky Rectangle Nesties, Oval punch by SU, Border punch by EK Success, Copics.