Yesterday we had a pretty laid back day. We started by going to church and I usually make Colin and Evan a deal that if they are quiet and well behaved that they can stop and pick up a donut on the way home. Yesterday we lucked out because there was coffee and donuts after church in the school cafeteria. Colin got to hang out with a few friends and Evan stuck by my side.  On the way home we ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things.  Then Roger and Colin got started on his Pinewood Derby car since it’s coming up in about two weeks time.  While they were doing that, Evan was playing his DS and I got time to finish up Christmas Thank You cards and stamp. 

I made this card based on the inspiration card at the Cards Magazine Blog.  I decided to stick with the colors and a bit of the Polka Dots.  There have been a lot of fluffy flowers going around lately so i used the Sizzix Flower Layers Bigz die and my Stampin’ Up! Big Shot to cut out the flowers from Merry Moments dsp.  I sponged the edges in Chocolate Chip ink, but a brad through the center and then scrunched up my flowers until I was happy with the shape.  I added a Latte button threaded with hemp twine to the center and then attached it to my card base.  I then added Little Leaves from the Sizzlets die using Old Olive textured card stock. I love the new Well Scripted set from Stampin’ Up!.  I chose to buy the clear mount version and it is so easy to stamp on the punched out sentiment tag without a stamp-a-ma-jig, and I’m a big fan of the stamp-a-ma-jig. 

The base of my card is fairly simple.  I used Kraft cardstock for the base and layered Real Red with Bermuda Bay textured card stock.  The Bermuda Bay layer is stamped with the Trendy Trees stamp set in Soft Suede and then layered with a piece of Whisper White that was punched with the Eyelet border punch and then I added a piece of Real Red 3/4″ Polka Dot ribbon across the bottom of it. Two vintage brads round off the design of my card. 

This morning I am reading to Evan’s class.  He says he doesn’t like me to do it, but he sure loves sitting in the big rocking chair next to me when I do.  I hope you all have a great creative start to your week.

Jenn

If you told me to sit down and make a card using Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Pink Passion, Only Orange and Not Quite Navy I probably would have to sit and think about that one for a while. However, it works! I took on the Inspiration challenge this weekend and picked this fanfrom Pylones for the color combination.  I paired it with Jen’s Sketch for You to Try and the card fell right into place. I think it’s a perfect card for a child.

To make this card:
Dimensions:
Soft Suede 5 1/2 X 8 1/2 scored at 4 1/4
Crushed Curry 5 1/4 X 4 and scraps for Pennant die scallop circle
Not Quite Navy 5 1/8 X 3 7/8
Kaleidoscope dsp 1 1/2 X 4 3/4 and 3 1/8 X 2 3/8
Pink Passion 3 1/4 X 2 1/2
Only Orange 1 X 3 1/8
Whisper White scrap for main image to fit in 1 3/4 circle punch

Directions:
1. Mat Not Quite Navy with Crushed Curry. Mat Kaleidoscope dsp with Pink Passion and add strip of Only Orange. Stamp Pun Fun sentiment in Only Orange onto Only Orange Layer.
2. Use Mat pack and Paper piercer to add paper piercing to only orange layer. I used the mat pack to add the 3 silver brads as well. Attach to Not Quite Navy layer.
3. Add strip of Kaleidoscope strip. Punch near bottom edge of this strip with the horizontal slot punch and add a Crushed Curry ribbon. Attach to card base.
4. Stamp Pun Fun image in Basic Gray ink on Whisper White. Use an AquaPainter to watercolor with Not Quite Navy, Only Orange and Crushed Curry ink.
5. Run Crushed Curry scrap through the Big Shot with the Pennant die to die cut a scallop circle. Attach main image to this scallop circle. Attach to card with dimensionals. Add Only Orange small star punch with a silver brad in the center with a dimensional.

See the color combo does work! Who’d have thought? I certainly didn’t until I saw it all fall into place. Sometimes it’s fun to step outside of our comfort zones and try a new color combination or a new stamp set that is not necessarily our style. I challenge you to do that this week. Push yourself to create something you might have never tried.

Today is Wednesday and I find myself again with 3 hours free from children! This time I hope to get more done than on Monday. It really is amazing how quickly that time goes. Then Evan and I will enjoy our afternoon together before Colin comes home and we play outside until dinner.  Colin is excited because his teacher told him that they will be using their textbooks for the very first time today.  He’s been excited about starting his math textbook so it should be fun to hear what he thinks of it when he comes home.

All products are Stampin’ Up! and can be purchased via my Demonstrator Website: http://igotstamps.stampinup.net

Stamps: Pun Fun
Paper: Soft Suede, Crushed Curry, Not Quite Navy, Only Orange, Pink Passion, Whisper White, Kaliedoscope dsp
Ink: Basic Gray, Not Quite Navy, Only Orange, Crushed Curry
Accessories: Horizontal slot punch, Crushed Curry Polka Dot Ribbon, Pennant Die, 1 3/4″ circle punch, small star punch, mat pack, paper piercer, silver brads, dimensionals, AquaPainter

The shopping is done, the presents are almost all wrapped, the kids are excited and it’s above freezing out! I’m most excited about the last part. Yesterday was a mix of snow, freezing rain, sleet and not so fun weather. Slowly over the course of the day it warmed up and by 8:30 last night I was out in the rain shoveling snow and it wasn’t too bitterly cold.

I have a quick post for you sharing another Thank you card I made for sending out after the holidays are done and over with. If I have them on hand they get sent much quicker, so that task is complete for now. In about a week they should meet their intended recipients.

I hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas!  My blog is going to be running on autopilot as I spend time with family and friends.  Enjoy your holidays!

Jenn

All Supplies are Stampin’ Up! and can be purchased on my website: http://igotstamps.stampinup.net

Can you tell which cake inspired this . . .

I liked the simple elegance of the cake on the left.  I decided to keep the color scheme and took my layout right from the cake as well.

Have a great Sunday!

Jenn

Stamps: Dreams du Jour

Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: scallop edge punch, 1″ and 3/4″ circle punches, basic black 1/4″ grosgrain, SAMJ

I think Saturday was the only day this weekend that I had a chance to sit down and stamp.  Friday was the 4th of July and it was a beautiful day.  We took Colin and Evan down to the fireworks display across the river from Kankakee Community College.  This was the first time we went to see this display and we were surprised that they manually set the charges for the fireworks.  You could see men running back and forth lighting the fireworks one by one.  On Saturday, both of the boys were up early, despite going to bed after 10:30 and they stayed up long enough to see the fireworks by the mall that night.  Again they were up early on Sunday.  Yesterday they went to see Wall-E with my parents.  Colin said it was his favorite movie ever and Evan slept through it. 

Anyway I should get onto my card.  The above light plates are from Mackintosh Enamels.  Like I said before I like to write down things that pop into my head when I first look at the inspiration piece.  I wrote down Really Rust, Summer Sun, Wild Wasabi and Blue Bayou.  I also loved the tone on tone color, so I wrote down Versamark.  When I actually sat down to stamp I ended up changing my colors to Not Quite Navy, Garden Green, More Mustard and Ruby Red.  For good measure I threw in some Whisper White, River Rock and Basic Gray. 

Here is my finished product.  I pulled out Pretty Petals for the background so I immediately thought of pairing it with the matching stamp set called Pretty Amazing.  I added paper piercing, some Cameo Coral to the humming birds belly and some vintage brads.  I decided to keep the shape of the switch plates and that is how I came up with my color blocking. 

I was tagged last week by Tina and was given the Arte Pico award by Megan. 

So for 7 more random things about myself.

1). I have to stamp almost everyday.  I feel out of sorts when I don’t get stamping time in.

2). I never blow dry my hair or wear make-up. 

3).  I put cream in my coffee but no sweetner.

4). I love thunderstorms, especially at night. 

5). I have always had a dog and can’t imagine not having one.  Sophie is going to be 10 years old this August.

6).  I will try almost any fruit or vegetable.  This weekend I bought a Juan Canary melon and a Casaba melon so my kids could try them. 

7).  When I was in grade school I used to pretend I wrote for the Enquirer and would make up outrages stories to match. 

*I’ve tagged several people with this over the last few weeks.  If you haven’t been tagged, consider yourself tagged!*

There are a lot of blogs that inspire me.  Today I’ll tag the following with the Arte Pico Award.

Angie

Jen

Have a great Monday!  It looks like a rainy day here, which will be perfect for stamping.

Jenn

stamps – Pretty Petals, Pretty Amazing, Fundamental Phrases

paper – Garden Green, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Not Quite Navy, Ruby Red, More Mustard

ink – Versamark, Ruby Red, Basic Gray, Cameo Coral, Garden Green

accessories – mat pack, vintage brads, basic gray taffeta ribbon, crop-a-dile, word window punch, dimensionals, AquaPainter,

On Saturday I had a few minutes to sit down and stamp, so I pulled up the Insiration Challenge on SCS.  The Inspiration piece was this State Fair Quilt by Garnet Hill.   When I sit down to look at an inspiration piece I look at several things.  The first is usually the colors.  I wrote down Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Real Red and Soft Sky.  I then try to figure out a layout based on what I saw.  See that neat white chest at the foot of the bed?  The texture on it reminded me of a crimped piece of paper.  Directly above that are the squares of the quilt.  The dresser pulls reminded me of brads and my Stitched Exotics stamp set seemed like it would be a perfect fit for the large white flowers.  I pulled out my supplies and sat down to stamp. 

I don’t know about you, but once I have an idea in my head and have my supplies gathered I just get lost in my project.  I had this card completed really quickly and I love how it turned out.

I started with a Soft Sky base, and added Whisper White along with a crimped strip of Whisper White cardstock.  I tied a simple Real Red striped grosgrain bow around this layer.  I then started on my squares.  I stamped images from Stitched Exotics onto each color of cardstock and then punched them out with my 1 1/4″ square punch.  I wanted the flowers to be off center.  The center block has the stitched leaf stamped onto it, but it was very hard to get it to show up in the photograph.  The squares are matted onto Chocolate Chip 1 3/8″ squares that are sponged in Chocolate Chip ink.  I added Vintage brads and set the squares up on dimensionals to give them a little pop.  I then added my sentiment from Fundamental Phrases on a Whisper White small oval and matted it on a Real Red large oval punch.  I cut off one end and added it to my base. 

So what do you think?  I have a very neat project that you won’t want to miss all scheduled to post this week, so keep checking back!

Jenn

stamps – Stitched Exotics, Fundamental Phrases

paper – Soft Sky, Real Red, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip

ink- Chocolate Chip, Whisper White craft

accessories – crimper, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8″ square punches, dimensionals, 1/16″ hole punch, vintage brads, large and small oval punches, real red striped grosgrain

Yesterday while Colin was at his birthday party, Evan fell asleep.  With nothing else to do I just had to stamp.  But when it came down to it I didn’t stamp anything but the sentiment inside of this card.  I did the Inspiration Challenge on SCS and had actually tried to do a translucent card, but the vision I had in my head didn’t look right when all was said and done. 

This card was so super simple!  I just layered a 5 1/2 X 4 1/4 Rose Red cardbase with Whisper White.  I then took my 1″ circle punch and punched out 12 circles of Ginger Blossom designer series paper.  I added a River Rock ribbon and the largest arrow from My Way punch that has an Eastern Elegance Rub On on it.  The arrow is set up on dimensionals.  I stamped Birthday Hugs and Wishes on the inside in Rose Red ink. 

To all of the Father’s out there, I hope you have a fantastic day surrounded by loved ones.

Jenn

stamps – Hugs and Wishes (inside)

Ink- Rose Red (inside)

paper – Rose Red, Whisper White, Ginger Blossom

accessories – 1″ circle punch, My Way punch, dimensionals, Eastern Elegance Rub Ons, River Rock Double stitched ribbon.

I started out this morning by cleaning the rest of the house and figured I’d have enough time to sit down and stamp something before we had guests over.  I opened up the Inspiration Challenge at SCS and started to let the ideas flow. 

I used to have a hard time with Inspiration Challenges because I’d look at the piece and try to take it too literally.  Now I just write down ideas that pop into my head.  Today I picked colors right from the photograph and wrote down Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink and Pixie Pink.  I also wrote down Gate Fold card because I wanted to mimic the doors that are shown.  I also thought the pattern on the doors reflected the new Fresh Cuts stamp set so I used that as well. 

I really like the way this card turned out.  I think it is so soft and pretty.  I think I’ll make an entire batch to add to my stash of cards. 

Jenn

Stamps – Fresh Cuts

Paper – Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink

Ink – Soft Sky, Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink

Accessories – Mat pack, Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon, Scallop Punch, 1 1/4 and 1 3/8″ circle Punches

Technique – Gate Fold Card

 Inspiration Challenge aren’t something I go rushing towards.  I don’t know why but I often struggle with them.  However, Beate posted one in the last few days that grabbed my attention.  You can see the Inspiration piece by clicking here.  I was drawn not only to the clean and simple lines, but also to the colors.  I chose to work with Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky and Whisper White.  When I had first started out I made a single layer card from Whisper White cardstock.  While I liked the idea of it, I thought it needed a bit something.  So I cut my card in half and mounted it on a Chocolate Chip base instead.  I loved it! 

To make this card I made a ton of masks to create the faux layers.  When I had my masks in place I used a sponge dauber and ink to create the rectangles.  After I was pleased with the result I went and masked the center to stamp my images.  I used the retired Garden Silhouettes stamp set along with True Friend. 

Today I am battling some mutant birds.  I have never seen a red-headed sparrow before, and my mom tells me that they are red finches.  However, I have never seen a finch so big and sparrow like.  They have decided they are going to try to build a nest in my hanging flower baskets.  While I like birds, I am not into having them nest on my front porch, especially that is often where we sit with the kids when they eat Popsicles.  It’s much easier to hose off the cement than it is to hose down my kitchen table, chairs and floor.  I’m afraid that once they have babies we won’t be allowed on the porch anymore without being dive bombed.  It reminds me a lot of this post by Simone – maybe she sent the birds to me – literally.  LOL!

Jenn

stamps – True Friend, Garden Silhouettes

paper – Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

ink – Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky

accessories – sponge daubers, post-it notes

 I’ve been having a hard time getting a good photograph of Colin’s curtains in his room.  I never realized how hard it is to get a photo near a window, but today is a rainy day so the sun isn’t glaring in through the south side of our house.  We got his curtains hung last Tuesday and he loves them.  Evan is now asking for some of his own, so I have to make a trip to Joann’s to pick out some  more material.  My mom did a great job on them and they close so much easier than the cheap curtains we had up before.  Colin has also been sleeping later since I had my mom line them with room darkening material.  This is also our River Rock room!  I matched the curtains up with the River Rock cardstock and then took the cardstock to Lowe’s.  It matched the Valspar Dry Leaf paint color almost exactly, so that is how the color was chosen.  I spent a week ago Saturday painting his room.  I love to paint and Roger hates it, so I got a nice relaxing day to myself and Roger got to entertain the boys. 

 When I had picked up the material I had issued a Inspiration Challenge to my blog readers.  Tina, from Wooded Views, made a card to match the curtain material and then sent it to me in the mail.  Here is her card.  I love how she took the circle motif and pulled the colors right from the material.  Thanks for the RAK Tina!

Today Evan is going in for allergy testing so I have a bunch of stuff to get done this morning.  I am just crossing my fingers that we don’t get any snow flurries like they have been talking about.  It was 82 here on Friday and it’s just 45 today. 

Jenn