Anni-VERVE-sary 2012 Challenge: Day 1

Verve Stamps is celebrating their fifth year in business, or as they call it, their anni-VERVE-sary, and they have five stamping challenges to make it fun.  Obviously, I have decided to participate.   :D  I'm starting a bit late, but already have two done (woohoo!), so unless circumstances intervene, I will do all five challenges before the deadline on Friday.  I have plenty of Verve sets, after all!  Check out the store here to see all their great designs.

The first challenge is to use the colors pink, green, and brown along with neutrals to make a card.  I pulled out my Believe set and stamped the flower on some yummy pink Basic Grey paper in all three sizes, and then cut and layered it on my card.

I used narrow strips from the same Basic Grey paper pad layered on a strip of Dark Chocolate cardstock, and then placed it on top of another Dark Chocolate layer that was embossed with polka dots.  I'm just a wee bit addicted to that folder right now.  :)  The sentiment is stamped on a Spellbinders diecut embellished with another bit of that gorgeous flowered paper.  Love the result!

Stamps:  Believe (Verve)
Paper:  White, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Sultry 6x6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink:  Rich Cocoa (Memento); Always Artichoke (Stampin' Up)
Misc:  Labels 18 die (Spellbinders); Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Thank you for your kindness

It's time for the monthly Papertrey Ink blog hop!  I made a pair of thank you cards, pulling the colors and the flowers from the summery inspiration photo.

I went for a clean and simple style.  After struggling to use all the colors on one card, I decided to do a white-on-white base using embossed texture and do a simple grouping of flowers in one color on each card.  I really like the elegant result!  The flowers are crumpled to add a little dimension.

Stamps:  Garden of Life, Turning a New Leaf, Iconic Images (Papertrey Ink) 
Paper:  White, Melon Berry, Harvest Gold, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Berry Sorbet, Summer Sunrise, Simply Chartreuse (Papertrey Ink);Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Misc:  Polka Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); 3/4" square punch (EK Success)

I simply adore you

Here's my card for July's SFYTT sketch challenge.  This month's sponsor is My Favorite Things, one of my favorite stamp companies.  (hehehe)  I chose to use one of the Pure Innocence images.  I've actually had the card base with the luscious patterned paper put together for several weeks now waiting for a flash of inspiration to finish it.  Since I needed to get my sketch card done, it gave me a head start!   lol

 

link

Once I decided to paper-piece the clothes using the same patterned paper, this card came together quickly.  So cute!  (and yes, that teeny little flower was stamped and colored on white)  Both the flower print of her shirt and black distressed print of her pants came from the Urban Prairie paper collection by Basic Grey.  I used my Copic markers to color her face, hair, and shoes.  I did some selective inking with the sentiment so it could fit in the circle, since it's usually one horizontal line.  Then I just cut out my girl, adhered the layers, and added a little embossed texture to the Aqua Mist pennant.  Love it!

Stamps:  Being Cute is What I Do (My Favorite Things)

Paper:  White, True Black, Aqua Mist (Papertrey Ink)

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Copic:  E000, E00, E30, E42, E55, E57, E59, R05, R20, R24, BG11, BG13

Misc:  Standard Circles die (Spellbinders); 3/4" square punch (EK Success), Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

A new little someone

I went to a baby shower this morning for a new friend who is due to have a baby boy next month.  Since I didn't have any baby cards in my stash, I whipped up this card to accompany my gift.  Normally I struggle with creating last minute, but this card came together pretty quickly.  (and turned out cute, if I do say so myself!)

I used my Baby Button Bits set for the first time.  I took advantage of the fact that the card didn't have to be mailed.  No qualms about that sweet blue button!  Obviously, I kept the card simple due to time.  The blue mat was cut with my Top Note die and embossed with dots.  I edged the sentiment strip with scallops, and then hand-cut the stamped bear to place on top.

Sweet, simple, and fast!   :)

Stamps:  Baby Button Bits (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Spring Rain, White, Kraft (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink)
Misc:  Scallop Edge punch, Top Note die (Stampin' Up); Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); Spring Rain button (Papertrey Ink)

Happy Fourth of July

I finally got a card done for the SFYTT sketch challenge.  Once I saw the stars on the sketch, I immediately thought of using my In the Stars set by Stampin' Up.  I refuse to admit just how long it took me to find that set.  lol  I know it's a few days early for July 4th, but making this card sure put me in the mood for fireworks and grilled hamburgers.    :)

 

 

link to challenge

For some reason, my Pure Poppy stripes are looking a little pinkish, but I assure you they are red!  I embossed the "wish for you" star and punched it out with my SU star punch.  The larger blue star was stamped with VersaMark and simply cut out.  I also cut out the embossed outline star.  Both of the smaller stars are attached with pop-dots for dimension, as well as the white circle

I pulled out an old Hanna Stamps set (now retired) since it fit perfectly in the open space left on the white circle and used my Copic markers to color the image.  Turned out cute!  It's difficult to see, but I also used my colorless blender marker to add tiny dots to the blue part of the flag.  It gives just a hint of stars.  The red-striped mat and the red sentiment strip are both distressed along the edges to add a little bit of texture.

I had a lot of fun with this sketch!  It's an easy layout with lots of possibilities.   :)

Stamps:  In the Stars (Stampin' Up); Patriotic Hanna (Hanna Stamps); Distressed Stripes, Vintage Picnic (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy, White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Pure Poppy (Papertrey Ink); VersaMark
Copic:  0 Colorless, C1, T1. E000, E00, E30, E42, E55, E57, E59, R20, R24, R29, R59, B95, B97, B99
Misc:  Standard Circles die (Spellbinders); Star punch (Stampin' Up); white embossing powder (Filigree); pop-dots

You are the best

Time for the monthly Papertrey Ink blog hop!  Yet again, it's an inspiration challenge and you will see that my card looks very little like the picture.  I pretty much just went with the pretty yellow color and the flower-shaped pillow to make this card.

photo credit

I stamped the flower from All About You in Harvest Gold ink on white cardstock, cut it out, bent the edges of the petals slightly, and then added a punched Dark Chocolate center.  I stamped the leaves in New Leaf and also cut them out, placing them behind the flower.  I outlined the white mat with Early Espresso stitches and then stamped the sentiment on the mat.  I embossed the Harvest Gold mat with my Swiss Dots folder to echo the polka dot leaves and add some texture.  Then it was simply matted with Dark Chocolate and attached to the white card base.  I really like how it turned out!  Bright, cheerful, and sunny.   :)

Stamps:  All About You (Papertrey Ink)
Paper:  Harvest Gold, Dark Chocolate, White (Papertrey Ink)
Ink:  Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Dark Chocolate (Papertrey Ink); Rich Cocoa (Memento)
Misc:  Mat Stack 5 die (Papertrey Ink); Swiss Dots embossing folder (Cuttlebug); 3/4" circle punch (EK Success)

Cruising By with a Birthday Hi

Well, it only took me a month to make this card.  Seriously.  I was playing with patterned paper and realized that this particular pattern looked like waves.  Since I had recently purchased a used By the Sea stamp set, I immediately thought of this adorable whale.  I cut a slit in the paper so it looked like it was in the water.  Then I added the cruise ship in the background and there I stopped.  I didn't know what else to do with it!

Yesterday, determined to finish it, I finally just picked the "cruising by" sentiment and stamped it on a banner diecut.  Like a previous card, I bent the banner to give the illusion of wind and then added it to the card in the empty space.  Not perfect, but I'm calling it done!

Stamps:  By the Sea (The Cat's Pajamas); Cruising Cosmo Girl (My Favorite Things)
Paper:  White (Papertrey Ink); Pocket Full of Posies Stack (DCWV)
Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Copic:  0, T1, T4, T6, B45
Misc:  Double-Ended Banner die (Papertrey Ink)