JBCC #2

I haven't had the time to participate in any of the challenges on the blogs I follow.  Last weekend was kind of busy.  My husband & I went to an auction on Saturday.  You know...by reading the auction bill, it didn't look all that great.  But it was so close to where we live, that we decided to check it out.  I'm SO glad we did.  There were some great antiques, and a few of them came home with us!  I also got to see my "auction friend" Lynn.  We got to sit together and chat.  A couple of times we were talking instead of paying attention to what was being sold.  Almost missed something!!!  It was a fun morning  :)
But...I did make a card Saturday afternoon, for the challenge that my friend Kris and I created.  This is my card for the Jelly Belly Crank Challenge #2.  For an explanation, you'll need to go to my previous post!
When we cranked the Jelly Belly machine, these were the colors we got...

I liked this combination right away!  Two rich colors and a neutral, make a good combo for a card.  I decided to do a gate-fold card and I've been wanting to use one of my new embossing folders from SU...so, I combined the two.  This is what I came up with.

I didn't add a sentiment to this card, so that I can use it for most any occasion.

My card recipe ~

CS: Pacific Point, Confetti Cream (SU), green (from my stash)

Ink: Pacific Point, Mellow Moss, (and the lighter blue on the butterfly...I don't remember...geez, it was 4 days ago, sorry!)

DSP: Good Morning Sunshine (SU)

Tools and accessories: circle punch (SU), scallop die (Spellbinders), butterfly punch (MS), flat back pearls (Recollections), Elegant Lines textured impressions folder  (Sizzix for SU)

JBCC #1

This is a first!
If you follow my blog, you know that I participate in a lot of stamping challenges from other blogs.  Well...my friend Kris and I have started a stamping challenge.  So far it's just between the two of us.  Until we figure out how to set up the process for other stampers to link to our blogs.  There's SO much more to learn!  Well, we have to start somewhere.
My friend Kris (who is also my co-worker AND SU demo) has a Jelly Belly machine in her office.  You give it a couple of cranks, and you get a few jelly beans.  One day recently Kris came to me with three jelly beans in her hand, showing me the 3 colors would make a good color combination for a card.  Ta da!  Eventually, that led to us creating our Jelly Belly Crank Challenge...and this is the first challenge (hence the JBCC #1 title).
This is a photo of the jelly bean colors that I had to work with!

Now, just a warning...the sentiment on this card is very unusual.  I saw this stamp a few months ago, and thought of my friend "K".  I'll keep her identity secret, to protect the guilty  :)
I CASE'd the layout for this card from Denise, over at The Paper Landscaper, I just changed out the sentiment (obviously), the colors and...well that's about all!  I thought her card was SO pretty!  Check out her card here.
Here is my version ~

I sent this card out to "K" a few days ago, and we had a few laughs about it yesterday when we chatted on Facebook!  It's great to have those friends that you can talk to about almost anything...and laugh about it!
Enjoy your weekend.

The card recipe ~~~~

CS: peach parfait, whisper white (SU)

Patterned paper: modern milan (Me & My Big Ideas)

Ink: peach parfait, basic gray (SU)

Ribbon: from my stash

Butterfly punch: MS

Tools: Bow Easy, Spellbinders, Big Kick

SSSC77 & PPCC 6 challenges

I'm participating in 2 challenges with this card.  The Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 77 & the Paper Players Color Challenge 6.  The Paper Players had a color combo that I wouldn't have thought of...going gray, rose red, certainly celery and very vanilla.  The colors really work well together!  I really struggled with this card, though.  I don't know if it was because I started the card early, then stopped to go to church, came back and worked on a little more.  Then finally finished it this evening, after being out all afternoon.  My mojo just was NOT there!
Then...I have to apologize for the lighting in my photos.  By the time I was ready to take my pics a thunderstorm had moved in.  We need the rain, but I had very little natural light to work with.  Oh well, enough excuses, huh???  It is, what it is!

The recipe ~
Stamps: dandle trio (Stampendous) bird on a branch (SU)
Cardstock: going gray, rose red, certainly celery, very vanilla (SU)
Ink: going gray, certainly celery, rose red (SU)
Ribbon: going gray (SU)
Accessories and tools: clear EP (SU), flat back pearls (Recollections), corner rounder, scallop punch, bow-easy, glue dot

Thanks for stopping in to take a look!

Fall to Layout #98

Hey, this is the first Christmas card I've made this year!  My husband was a little puzzled that I was making a Christmas card in July!  Well, it's never too early to start...the months go by SO fast.  I recently started following the Clean and Simple Stamping blog.  These ladies create some beautiful cards!  CAS is sometimes difficult for me (as I've mentioned before), since I love to embellish.  I created this card for their Fall to Layout #98.  You can see all of the details here.
I did change up one thing from the layout.  I moved my sentiment to the bottom of the card, since I didn't want to cover any part of the word "peace" in my center square.  In staying with the holiday theme, I used a snowflake punch on the white CS inside the card.  You'll see that detail below, in the 2nd and 3rd photos I've posted.

It was fun to get a start on my holiday cards!

My recipe ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Card stock: soft suede, real red, brushed gold (all SU)

DSP: christmas cocoa (SU)

Stamps: perfect presentation (SU)

Ink: versamark

Accessories and tools: word flurries rub-ons (SU), winter white EP (SU), square punch (SU), snowflake punch (EK)

Sweet Sunday sketch challenge 76

Well, I hadn't planned on stamping today...I was going to spend some time relaxing (after cooking and transplanting a couple of black eyed susan plants, watering plants...you get the picture...)  But, I had an idea for a card that just couldn't wait, and this Sweet Sunday sketch challenge, SSSC76, fit perfectly.  Just click on the link to take a look at the sketch on Karen's blog.
I recently bought a new cuttlebug embossing folder that I've been wanting to use.  It's called Distressed Stripes.  I think it works well with the park bench image from the Time for You SU set.  I colored the bench with a watercolor crayon, but didn't use any water.  I wanted the color to have a rough or weathered look, so that it would tie in with the distressed embossing on my card.   I'm really pleased with the results.

This second photo shows a closer look, and from an angle.  You can see that the little yellow bird is popped up and you get a different perspective of the embossed card stock.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My recipe ~
Card stock: kraft, whisper white, so saffron (SU)
Ink: sahara sand, barely banana (SU)
Stamps: time for you (SU)
Tools: distressed stripes embossing folder (Cuttlebug)
Other stuff: pewter hardware (SU), linen thread (SU), pop dots

A 3 challenge card...

My card today was created for 3 challenges.  I enjoy having the chance to combine several challenges into one of my cards.  This card was certainly a challenge!  My first two attempts with the card base and matting just didn't look right...but the third one was a charm.  I least I think so; I hope you like it!  I made this card for a sweet friend of mine.  I hope she doesn't check my blog before I have the chance to give her the card!

This card will be submitted to these challenges:
Just Us Girls (JUGS) sketch challenge #40, sponsored by Justrite Stampers
Crazy 4 Challenges, who challenged us to use 2 or more ribbons
Inspirations Color Challenge #30, the challenge is to use kraft, rich razzleberry, old olive & whisper white

The second photo shows a little of the inside, where I've added a border of punched DSP to coordinate with the front of the card.

Here's my recipe ~
Card stock: rich razzleberry, old olive, kraft, whisper white (SU)
DSP: cottage wall (SU)
Stamps: autumn leaves (Gina K designs), priceless (SU)
Ribbons: old olive satin (SU), lt purple flourishes (American Crafts)
Punch by MS
Spellbinders square dies
Flat back pearls (Recollections)

Just Add Ink #24

I'm playing along in the Just Add Ink #24 challenge, today. Their sketch is very clean and simple, which is VERY difficult for me.  I love to layer and embellish!  But, their sketch looked so inviting...I decided to play along.  Take a look below the photo for the list of supplies I used.

My recipe ~
Card stock: confetti cream (SU)
Ink: old olive, not quite navy (SU)
Stamps: hope for comfort, live your dreams (SU)
Ribbon: from my stash
Flat back pearls: Recollections (I used these in the flower centers)