MTSC106 and Colour Q 65 Thank You

I was very excited when I first saw the color challenge at the ColourQ blog.  I thought the colors were earthy and very modern at the same time.  I knew instantly that I wanted to play along.  I needed a sketch so I went to  Mercy Kerin's blog to check out her sketch challenge for this week.  I was surprised to see that it was going to be her last one.

I decided to combine the two challenges and since I still needed thank you cards from Christmas that's what I made.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC104

And Christmas is back! 

Yesterday I was all about Valentine's Day.  Today I am one day closer to the cookie swap and I'm still three gift bags short.  Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge  inspired me to make another tag for my cookie gift bags.

Don't you just love all those layers?  And the big circles just called out to me to use the real red corduroy buttons that have been languishing in my stash forever!  So I did!!

I still had some scraps left over from last years Christmas Cocoa dp, so I used those here.  And I LOVE those corduroy brads.  I'm sorry to see them leave my stash but I bought them to use them, so I remind myself that one of my resolutions this year was to not hoard my stuff anymore!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Mercy's Sketch & Paper Players

I think it's been a while since I've participated in Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.  So this week I was determined to make a card with the sketch.  I paired it with the Paper Players color challenge (which I think has the most delicious colors I've seen this Christmas season).

I used Crumb Cake as my neutral so I didn't want to use another light colored panel on the oval (such as whisper white or very vanilla).  I stamped the tree from Perfect Presentation in Versamark on my Cherry Cobbler oval and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I sponged the edges of the Cherry Cobbler oval and I think it makes the embossed tree show up nicely.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Color Lab Challenge 17

It's Thursday and time for another challenge from the Color Lab!

Aren't these colors scrumptious?  I have always loved "Indian" corn.  I've got a bunch of it in my house on display on a cool corn drying rack that I picked up at an antique shop in Indiana.  So I had no problem diving right into this challenge.

For my layout I chose the sketch challenge over at Mercy's Tuesday Sketch challenge.  I've decided that I haven't used the crochet ribbon nearly enough and I have challenged myself to use it on at least three projects this Christmas season.  I hope I can pull it off!
Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to pop on over to the Color Lab, check out the fabulous colors this week and create something!  We'd love to see what you do.

Witchiepoo Halloween

I went into the vault today to make this Halloween card.  I used my Best Fiends stamp set from many moons ago to make this card.  I have to admit that Best Fiends is one of my ALL TIME favorite Halloween stamp sets and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to part with it.  I don't care if it is retired, I love it and I'll keep using it!

This week's Colour Q challenge of course called out for a Halloween card, so I paired it with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge to make my card.

Aren't those colors great?  And of course, every time I see my little witchiepoo friend from this stamp set I want to color her face green.  I love the look on her face too.  Like she's been caught doing something she shouldn't be doing!

Now, some of you may pick up on or wonder about my reference to witchiepoo.  When I was a kid there was a Saturday morning show called H.R. Pufnstuf filled with all sorts of strange characters.  One of those was a witch called Witchiepoo.  Although she didn't have a green face, she did have these crazy striped socks, which I think is why this stamp reminds me of her.  Another piece of trivia:  in the 80's, the actress who played Witchiepoo appeared on General Hospital as O'Reilly.  I don't remember exactly who she was, but I think she was an associate of Robert Scorpio.  Wow!  I can't believe I remember all of this!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC93 With Some Kiwi Thrown In

I had high hopes when I saw this sketch over at Mercy's blog.  Simple geometric design, square.  All things I love about a good sketch.

I grabbed my old Urban Oasis designer paper and {gasp} a few scraps of my nearly depleted stash of kiwi kiss cardstock.  I put it all together and now I'm not at all sure I like the result.

I've made cards before with this color combo and I've always thought they were hip and cool.  The colors are fresh and fun together.  But something's not right with this card and I'm not sure what it is.  Oh well, the adhesive is set and it's not coming off, so I guess I have to live with it!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC92

My mojo has completely disappeared.  If you find it anywhere, could you please return it to me?  Several times over the last several days, I have sat in my stamp room and tried to create something.  I started with some of my favorite sketch challenges, but each time I ended up walking away because what I was making was just horrible.  I took a break yesterday because my sister and I were putting together the save the dates for her son's wedding, but I was determined to get back in the game and create something that I actually liked.  I turned to Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge for my inspiration.

I really liked the layout of the sketch and thought I could do something with it.  I used my Thoroughly Modern dp, which, incidentally, is one of my all-time faves.  But in the end, I'm pretty sure that this card will end up on the bottom of my pile.  You know what I'm talking about.  The pile of cards you've made where the ones you like least are always toward the bottom.....

Oh well.  Here it is in all it's "glory."  At least I made an effort to do something.  Hopefully, I'll feel back to my old self tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Challenge Combo Thank You

What a glorious day it was today in Massachusetts.  I went for a walk on my lunch-hour and it was absolutely spectacular.  The sun was shining, the temperature was just right.  Glorious!  The way I see it, the only drawback to autumn in New England is that winter is not far away.  Ugh!  I have no use for cold temperatures and snow.  Hopefully Mother Nature will spare us this year.  Anyway on to my card for today.

I recently found a new color challenge called the Colour Q.  The colors this week were pretty neat, so I thought I'd mix it with Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.

Aren't those colors just wonderful?  So earthy.  And I love all things brown, so I embraced this challenge.  Here's my card:

And I got to drag out my Janome Sew Mini so that I could so could sew a crooked line down the peach parfait cardstock.  I love that little sewing machine!  So glad I bought it.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

A Little Black Magic and MTSC89

The other day, I tried the chalkboard technique.  Today I've tried the black magic technique.  I've actually been experimenting with this one for a while, except it could more properly be called the purple magic technique because I've been trying it on Concord Crush (with mixed results).  I used the same stamp set as the chalkboard card so I could compare apples to apples.

For this card, I used the sketch challenge over at Mercy's blog and first impressions are that this technique makes a much more dramatic effect than the chalkboard one.  Especially if you outline part of the image with a white gel pen, as I've done here.  And you don't have to worry about pastel dust coming off on your fingers or that annoying shadow effect you get from the pastel dust you can't seem to get rid of.  I tried experimenting with the retired SU! metallic art pencils on some scraps and I would have to say WOW! about those.  The metallic look really makes a difference.  I love all things shiny so maybe I'm biased, but it's a shame that they've been discontinued.  I guess people don't like to color like I do!

I think I'll keep on experimenting with this one and see what I come up with.  But thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC88 and CTD107

I love a card with a lot of layers.  That heaviness that the layers give the card feel somehow satisfying when you handle the card.  So when I saw Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge this week, I knew I had to give it a go.  Then I saw the fabulous colors from the folks over at the Color Throwdown and I set to work.

For some reason, whenever I see layers like this I want to drag out my adorable Janome Sew Mini and zig zag some stitching on my cards.  So today I did!  I just love that little machine.  So glad I bought it!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC85 and {Sort Of} a Color Challenge

This week has been absurdly busy for me.  I've had so many errands to run after work that today (Friday) is the first day I've managed to make it home while it's still light out.  As a result I haven't really spent a lot of time stamping and tonight I was determined to make a card following a challenge or two.

I managed to follow Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and I was trying to follow the Curtain Call Act 41 Color Challenge, but after I put the card together I realized I was supposed to use Whisper White instead of Very Vanilla.  Oops.  I really wanted to use the twill tape I have in my stash and that is, of course, vanilla in color, so my {sort of} color challenge card was born. While I was making this, I also realized that I don't have enough oval nesties!  I wanted to use a different size scallop and regular oval, but I didn't have the correct sizes, so I settled for this wider version.  Nothing like a little quality time in your craft room (that is no doubt loaded with supplies you've forgotten you have) to make you realize that you DON'T HAVE something that you CAN'T live without!!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC84 and Color Throwdown 103

I didn't think I was going to have a chance to stamp anything tonight.  I'm trying to get ready to go down the Cape this weekend and spend some time with my sister and her kids.  I haven't packed a single thing and even though I'm only going for a couple of days, I feel like I should be doing SOMETHING to get ready.  So, I decided to do some laundry and make a list of things to bring.  Tomorrow, I'll put everything in my bag and then I'll be ready to go.

On to the card.  I used Mercy's Tuesday sketch challenge and paired it with the Color Throwdown 103 challenge. 

The houndstooth patterned paper I used is from the retired Holiday Treasures christmas paper and is actually Ruby Red, but I thought it was awfully close to Riding Hood Red.  In real life, I can barely tell that they are not the same color on these layers.

So that's it for me tonight.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC82 Birthday

This card was so easy to put together.  Of course, it helps when you have inspiration from an awesome sketch over at Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.

I dug out my retired Ginger Blossoms paper and discovered that the Ruby Red flowers in it are a very close match to Riding Hood Red.  I can barely tell the difference in real life.  I used the super skinny new SU! taffeta ribbon, which is nice but I'm going to have to figure out a better way to stick it to cardstock.  I don't like my ribbons to move around, so I generally fix it with tape runner, but this ribbon is really slim.  I ran my ATG over it, then just rubbed off the parts that showed on the top and bottom.  Not very efficient but it got the job done.  Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Sage Shadow Flowers

I set out initially, to accomplish two things with this card.  The first was to use the recently retired Sage Shadow and Nouveau Chic designer paper.  (I'm sorry to see sage shadow go, but I've got a few sheets of cardstock left, so it should see me through for a while).  The second was to do the latest MOJO sketch. 

As you can see, I accomplished the first, but failed with the second.  I put the card together, had an oval on the front and even managed to squeeze in a flower in the oh-so-long-ago-retired Marigold Morning.  But the more I looked at it, the more I realized it was a horrible card.  I was not at all happy with it.  So as I contemplated what I was going to do I saw Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and realized that the first layer was almost exactly the same as the MOJO sketch.  It was just reversed. 

So, once again I prayed to the glue-dot gods to let me take off the layers I didn't need and add the ones I did.  They pretty much complied with my request, but underneath that nesties Label Four is some ripped designer paper that you can't see!

And once again, I have to say how much I LOVE the new Cherry Cobbler.  It has just the right amount of pop for this card.

Thanks for stopping by and I  hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC80 SOOOOOO Saffron

When I first saw the latest sketch challenge from Mercy, I thought "scallops and circles, I can do those."  Then I started to put the card together and I realized that it was so much more than scallops and cirles.  I had made another clean and simple (CAS) card.  How could it not be with all that "white" space?  (For "white" you should read so saffron colored paper from the sweet pea designer paper pack).  Then suddenly the circle became a layered flower (with an adorable corduroy button in the center).  And best of all, I resisted filling in all that "white" space with SOMETHING!  At one point I entertained the idea of adding a third color, but I resisted and the end result is what you see here.  Since there are no stamps on the front, I can use this card for just about anything - a bonus when you need something quickly.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC79 Happy Birthday

When I first saw the new MTSC sketch I thought it was right up my alley.  I love simple layers and I've got lots of brads so I thought "let's go."  So after I put it all together I was surprised to see that I had made a clean and simple (CAS) card.  My "white space" is actually rose red, but you get the point, I'm sure.  Usually I have difficulty with CAS cards.  Before I photographed this one, I tried to fill up some of that "white space" with a twisted ribbon flower.  I didn't like that so I tried some ribbon on the corners.  I didn't like that so I tried some ribbon across the front (but that wouldn't fit with the sketch challenge).  Ultimately I decided to leave it as is.  The colors are spectacular and I, for one, am very sad to see Bermuda Bay go.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC76 Happy Birthday

It's been a long time since I've made a card for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge.  I love her sketches, so it's good to be back!  Now, I will also confess that I have long had a fascination with cards that were stitched.  Not the fake stitching that you do with a gel pen but real, honest-to-pete stitching with thread and a sewing machine.  Although I wouldn't presume to call myself a seamstress, I do know how to sew.  I make all my own curtains (and other home decor things) and I've been known to sew a skirt or two.  But I resisted stitching my cards because I was reluctant to drag out my regular sewing machine just to spend five minutes sewing cardstock!

So I began to investigate alternatives and what I kept reading about was the Janome Sew Mini.  So a couple of weeks ago I took the plunge and bought it.  It's so cute I can hardly stop looking at it!  And its super-simple to operate.  This is actually the second card I've stitched, but I forgot to take a picture of the other one before I gave it away.  I've still got some practicing to do before I'm completely comfortable sewing paper, but it's so much fun.  I especially like the zig-zag stitch (and it even matches the zig-zag pattern of the dp here)!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

Hoo Loves You?

I sure hope this looks like an owl.

That is, in fact, the look I'm going for.  I got an email the other day and it had a couple of cartoon-ish owls in it.  As I studied them, I figured I had enough punches and such that I could re-create the owl myself.  I consider this to be a work in progress, since I don't know any owl that has eyeballs floating in space!  However, since this is supposed to be a caricature of an owl, I figure it's ok.  Special thanks to Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge for providing the layout for me to follow.

Thanks for stopping by!

MTSC65 Flower Fancy

It's been a while since I've used these colors, so I decided to make card using perfect plum and pale plum.  And since I was feeling nostalgic about these long-neglected colors, I dug out an old background stamp (dots and daises).  Sometimes it's a good thing to take a long look at the supplies you've got sitting around that haven't seen any love in a long time.  I like to use them once in a while just so they know I still care!  I used Mercy's tuesday sketch challenge for my layout.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!

MTSC64, Hi

It is a cold, rainy, horrible day so I thought "what a great day to spend stamping!"  I'm going to start working on some Easter projects, but I thought I'd make a non-Easter one before I get into full swing.  I used the sketch over at Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge and some previously unused Regal Rose dp.  I've got to say that I don't love this card.  Oh well, sometimes that happens.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have time to stamp today!