Spread The Love Campaign & my blog crush!

Hey there.  Have you heard about Clear & Simple Stamps' Spread The Love Campaign over at Amber's blog?
If you're a stamper & blogger, you've got to check it out!  Just click the link above. Go ahead.  I'll wait.  Just make sure you come back here.  :)

The concept of the campaign is to create a card to "spread the love"...post it...then reveal the identity of your blog crush.  And tell everyone why you're inspired by their blog. How can you not love something so positive and fun?
Amber gave us a choice of 6 color palettes to chose from.  I chose the Mod Mason Jar color scheme.

I was inspired to make the card below, using some SU cardstock, MME patterned papers, some PTI dies and SU silver embossing powder.  Oh, and a piece of SU baker's twine, too.

I don't own any Clear & Simple Stamps products.  I'll have to work on that.  Soon.  But, fortunately Amber invites everyone to play along, with any products. Oh, and there will be prizes.  Did I forget to mention that?

Now it's reveal time.
My blog crush is Beachorado, which is Wida Miller's blog.  Wida is so innovative, so talented and so humble.  And I can't forget sweet and funny!
Wida has been blogging for a relatively short time, but you'd never know it.  Besides her fresh approach to paper crafting and her many accomplishments, she's created regular features on her blog that I've seen no where else.  Diagnosis Design and CASADIA are brilliant ideas, and so well executed.  Truly, you have to check them out.  You can follow the link above to her blog, then just look for the tabs for the 2 features I mentioned.  I could go on and on, but instead, why don't you visit her blog...you'll see what I mean.
Thanks for taking a look today.  I love visitors!

A sympathy card

Today I'm sharing a sympathy card that I made over the weekend.  Sadly, I've depleted my stash of sympathy cards recently.  In fact, over the past few months I've had the need for quite a few sympathy cards.

This card is going into the challenge at The Play Date Cafe - challenge #169.  A very pretty color palette, don't you think?

Since my last few cards have been quite elaborate, I decided to go clean & simple with this card.

I've used a new (to me) linen texture cardstock for this card.  It's called White Linen Essentials by Ellen Hutson.  The texture is just beautiful.  Subtle enough that you can still get a clear stamped image.  I tried sponging on it recently...loved it.  I'll share that card when I have time.  You might be able to see the texture if you click on the closeup photo above.

Thanks for stopping in.  I appreciate all of my visitors!

Supplies:
Card stock: bordering blue (SU), white linen essentials (Ellen Hutson)
Stamps: BB: houndstooth, turning a new leaf, signature greetings II (PTI)
Ink: blushing bride, sage shadow, bordering blue (SU), onyx black versafine (Tsukinko)
Other: blue flat back pearls (Recollections)

Thank you - Tuesday Trigger Challenge

This the 3rd of the Thank You cards that I mentioned in previous posts.  I family member requested them, and I'm more than willing to make them for her.  She does so much for all of us, so I would do anything I can for her.  She's dealing with a lot right now, I just wish there was more I could do to help her.

If you read my blog posts via email, just click HERE to go directly to my blog, to see all 3 cards.

This card is going into the Cath's Tuesday Trigger - "I've a notion".  Cath's blog over at Moxie Fab World is a must for any stamper.  She provides SO much inspiration and shares so much info.  Not to mention the interviews she shares.  Well...I digress!

This is the inspiration photo for the current Tuesday Trigger.

Oh my, I love vintage lace, ribbon and buttons.  So this photo got my attention immediately.  I HAD to find time to play along.  Here's what I created.

I pulled out my boxes of vintage lace and trims and used 2 of them here.  The wide ecru lace and the narrow taupe/cocoa trim.  The other 2 (the gray velvet & the sand colored fancy edge ribbon) are from Stampin' Up!...a discontinued ribbon pack called Beachfront. I used a border punch on the card front, then backed it with some gray cs. I even sorted through my vintage buttons to find this cute little silver button. I threaded a piece of SU's 1/8" vanilla taffeta ribbon through the button holes, then tied it in a bow.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.  I hope you'll leave a comment!

Supplies:

Card stock: cameo coral, basic gray, very vanilla (SU)

Ink: basic gray (SU)

Stamps: communique curves (PTI)

Tools: label punch (SU), doily edge punch (MS)

Others: gray velvet ribbon, very vanilla taffeta ribbon, fancy edge sahara sand ribbon (SU), narrow taupe ribbon and wide lace from my stash of vintage trims, vintage silver button, scor-tape, foam tape

Thank You - Color Throwdown Challenge

This is the second of 3 Thank You cards that I needed to make this weekend.  I used 3 very different styles on the cards.  This card is going into the challenge at Color Throwdown CTD229.

Yummy colors and those chocolates in the photo don't look to bad either!  Anyway...onto my card.

I pulled out my Rosie Posie stamps and dies for this card.  And, I used an impression plate for the focal panel.  So...lots of texture on this card!  I added a few dots of stickles to the 3 roses for even more texture.  To give the card more depth, I adhered some of the die cut flowers with scor-tape and used foam tape for the others.  I'm really pleased with the results.

Thanks for taking a look today!

Supplies:

Card stock: chocolate chip, old olive, whisper white (SU)

Ink: blushing bride (SU), onyx black versafine (Tsukineko)

Stamps: think big favorites #2, rosie posie (PTI)

Other: wrought iron impression plate, rosie posie dies (PTI), cotton candy stickles (Ranger), foam tape, scor-tape

Gratitude - Just Us Girls Challenge

I'm sharing a card that I made for the current challenge at Just Us Girls - JUGS176.  It's a color challenge this time...and these colors are so pretty.

This is the first of 3 thank you cards that I created this weekend.  I love the look of banners on cards, you can go in so many directions with them.  This is what I created.

These colors make me think *spring*, and I'm so ready for it.  Yes, I know it's only mid-February.  But we're getting closer!

I used a little stamping on one of the banners, an impression plate on another.  Then one is made of lace and another is a piece of grosgrain ribbon.  I just had to add a couple of flat back pearls to my bitty butterfly.  Then 2 brads from MME.  Along the left edge I layered card stock, ribbon and ric-rac.

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop in!

Supplies:

Card stock: kraft (PTI), cameo coral (SU)

Stamps: beautiful butterflies, BB: Inspiration (PTI)

Ink: basic gray, calypso coral, certainly celery (SU), smokey gray versafine (Tsukineko)

Dies/punches/imp plates: book print impression plate (PTI), bitty butterfly punch (SU), corner rounder (Photo Max), scallop border punch (SU)

Fibers: kraft saddle stitch ribbon (PTI), white ric-rac, certainly celery grosgrain ribbon (SU), white doily trim (The Paper Studio), silver thread (RRR)

Other: flat back pearls (Recollections)

Happy Birthday - STB #5

Hi, I'm back with my second post for today.  This card is also for a customer.

I'm playing along in a challenge that is new to me.  And, it's a new challenge blog.  This is only their 5th sketch.  You might want to click through and check it out!  Seize the Birthday #5 {feminine birthday}.

This one is sponsored by The Alley Way Stamps.

My card...

I layered on the colors and lace for this card and I turned the sketch on it's side.

Thank you for stopping and spending a few minutes here.  I hope you'll leave a comment!

Supplies:
Card stock: rose red, always artichoke, very vanilla (SU)
Ink: rose red, always artichoke (SU)
Stamps: tea shoppe (SU), beautiful butterflies (PTI)
DSP: springtime vintage (SU)
Die: classic scalloped ovals large (Spellbinders)
Other: neutrals doily trim (The Paper Studio), flat cluny edge trim (Wrights), gems (The Paper Studio)

Happy Joyful Birthday - rs #50

Hello...it's been awhile since I've posted.  But...I'm still here!

I'm sharing a card that I made for a customer.  This is going into this week's challenge at Retro Sketches #50.

Their sketches are always a great way to jump start a card.

Here's my card.

I decided to use several layers on this card, to really pull out the colors in the patterned paper.  This DSP from SU is called Comfort Cafe.  Appropriate for a "tea" themed card...don't you think?

Thanks so much for taking a look today.  I so appreciate all of my visitors!

Supplies:

Card stock: cajun craze, midnight muse, naturals ivory, pool party (Stampin' Up!)

Ink: midnight muse, cajun craze (SU)

Stamps: tiny teacup, small sayings (SU)), tiny tags (PTI)

DSP: comfort cafe (SU)

Dies: tremendous tags (PTI)

Other: linen thread (SU), pearl flourish (Recollections)