ColourQ 138 Courtier - Yay!

Last week was the first time I made an entry for the ColourQ challenge.  I've admired the color combinations and entries for some time now.  Well I was thrilled to find out this week that I was selected as a Colour Queen Courtier.   I'm just tickled pink!

Here's the post on the ColourQ blog: CLICKY
And here's my post for the card I entered:   CLICKY

After I made the card last week, I wanted to see if I could replicate it using all Stampin' Up materials and as much current product as possible.   Here's what I cam up with. 

I made the flower using the flower petal punch and the BoHo Blossom punch.  The center of the flower is made by cutting the petals of two of the flowers from the BoHo Blossom punch and layering them.   The leaves are cut with the Little Leaves Sizzlet.  The greeting is stamped using a stamp from the Apothecary Art set, colored with Stampin' Up markers, and cut out using the Labels Collection Framelits.   Two more shapes were cut and used for a background layer.  The border is punched using the Scallop Trim border punch. The background stripes are stamped using the retired Simple Stripes background stamp.   Lastly, a pearl accent and some seam binding ribbon finish off the cards.

Here's the inside of the card decorated with a few scraps.   

Father's Day Clock (cQc139 and Mojo243)

Since I don't often get a chance to participate in some of these great weekly challenges, I thought I'd try to take care of two challenges with one card.   Plus, I need a Father's Day card.  Hey, that's three birds with one stone.

I used the Mojo Monday #243 sketch and the color combo from the ColourQ #139 challenge.

So this is the result of combining 1) the sketch from Mojo Monday, 2) the colors from this week's ColourQ challenge, 3) the Father's Day theme, and 4) the fact that my husband likes clocks.  Voila!

Stamps: The clock stamp is from Close to My Heart (Make it Count).  The greeting and frame are by Stampin' Up (All Year Cheer, Tagtastic).
Ink: Stampin' Up (Night of Navy and Rich Razzleberry)
Papers: Stampin' Up
Tools: Stampin' Up Decorative Label Punch, Quickutz gear dies, Circle cutter
Accessories: various brads

Love & Sympathy

I first made this card at local my Stampin' Up demo's monthly card class.  Here is Chris Galbraith's blog post that features the cared: CLICKY.  I loved that card and it was perfect for that sad occasion when we sent our sentiments to a friend suffering a loss.  My hubby even liked the card.   That motivated me to invest in the stamp set - Love and Sympathy and recreate the card.

My version has some modifications.  I played a bit with the embossed background and used a couple of different Cuttlebug embossing folders.  I also didn't have the green ribbon, so I changed up the colors a bit and added Wisteria Wonder ribbon, cardstock and ink for the flower.

Love for an Anniversary

It's my mother-in-law's anniversary in about a week.   So I sat down with my stamps and papers and came up with this card.

 

 I used an Anna Griffin stamp that I've had for ages and some stamps from Rubber Necker's Distressed st to add pink blotches into the background.   The image is colored with Copic markers.  I also added a bit of shading using Stampin' Up ink (Blushing Bride).  The background designer series paper is by Stampin' Up.  So is the cardstock and seam binding ribbon used.   Add some pearls and little gold pearls on either side of the "Love", and it's time to move onto the inside.

The inside is simply.   I used Stampin' Up Confetti White cardstock.  I cut a piece with my  Spellbinder die and inked it using Stampin' Up Blushing bride.   The greeting is from Stampin' Up (All Year Cheer).  And I used the same stamp from Rubber Necker to add a few pink blotches onto the background.   

Refreshing Flower - ColourQ #138

This is my first time doing a ColourQ challenge.   I really love the cards they have posted and the inspiration to use color combinations that I normally wouldn't reach for on my own.   

I used Stampin' Up DSP and cardstock.   The DSP is from this past Spring's Occasions mini catalog.   The greeting is also from Stampin Up (One of a Kind).  I used the Stampin' Up flower petal punch to create the large petals.   The inside petals are punched with two Marvy Uchida punches that I've had for ages.   The leaves and border are punched with Martha Stewart punches.   I cut the label using a Spellbinder's die.  I cut two extra shapes and cut them up to make the background layer.   The seam binding ribbon is from Stampin' Up.  I added a pearl to the center of the flower and used my Crop-A-Dial Corner Chomper by We R Memory Keepers. Almost forgot one more thing.   I used an Impression Obsession background stamp to stamp the stripes on the Crumb Cake card base. 

Mojo Monday on Tuesday (MOJO242)

As a working mom, it's amazing that I managed to do a Mojo Monday card, and this early in the week.   I worked on it last night while hanging out with the family.  The school year is wrapping up and we've got less to tend to in the evenings.  It's actually nice to just chill.

 

Her's the Mojo Monday inspiration sketch.

For this card, I stamped a medallion image using a gorgeous stamp from Holly Berry House, colored it and trimmed it.   This is actually an extra stamping from when I used this image to make ATCs (Artist Trading Cards).  I colored this image with Stampin' Up markers.   The printed paper is from 6x6 pads by Authentique.  Love these papers.  The blue cardstock is Marina Mist by Stampin' Up.  I used DCWV textured brown paper as the base and some matting layers.   The butterflies are punched from some of the Authentique printed paper using Martha Stewart butterfly punches.   I added some ribbon (Espresso Grosgrain by SU and misc. beige stain) and a pearl accent at the center of the medallion.   Viola!

ETA:  I love happy accidents. Turns out this is also a good card for Tuesday Alchemy's challenge for this week, which is "butterflies".  You'll have to go over there and check it out.  They have some beautiful cards there for great inspiration.  

Thank You Coach!

This past weekend was the end of our Spring Soccer Season.  I had the chance to make the thank you card for one of the coaches.  Here's what I came up with.

 

For the front of the card, I used a couple of different stamp sets: Stampin' Up (Thanks for Everything and Extreme Elements), Cloud 9 (Sports), and Rubber Necker (Distressed).  The inks and cardstock are Stempin' Up.  The star elements are covered chip board.  I ran a 5x5 piece of chipboard through my Xyron and then covered it with printed soccer paper from Paper Pizzaz.  I used a Sizzix Bigz die to cut the covered chipboard. 

For the inside of the card, I used an online software application to create the Wordle (CLICKY) with the girls' names and their team name - Lady Bulldogs.  The white soccer ball is made with a Sizzix Sizzlet embossing die and mounted with Stampin' Up Dimensionals.

View of the Seasons

I saw some images posted online with this really great die.   When I was at my local scrapbook store, Eclectica, the other day, I noticed they carried it and I couldn't resist.   It's the Small Madison Window die from Poppy Stamps.   This is my first product from this company and I have to say I'm very pleased. 

I partnered the die with a great classic Stampin' Up set that I picked up "gently used" called Changing Seasons.   I stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with my Copic markers.   Add a few Stampin' Up Dimensionals and a corner rounder and voila.   It's simple, but I love the effect.   This was one of the card sets we included in my son's teacher's gift I posed about on Wednesday.   I think I'll have to make more of these just because....

Teacher's Appreciation Week - Part 2

If you didn't get to see Monday's post, take a minute and look back.

Here's the gift we put together for my son's teacher.  It's a recipe card box.  The box itself is by CTMH and I altered it using paper by 7 Gypsies.   The book sitting behind the recipe box was my inspiration.  It's a binder in which I keep my recipes and I had some matching recipe cards that I wanted to use for this project.  I added some ribbon and metal accents. I believe those metal accents are by EK Success, but it's been a while since I purchased those.  I don't store my supplies in their packaging.  

Here's a picture of the box filled with cards along with the recipe cards and dividers.  I made the dividers using red Stampin' Up card stock and labels punched from the 7 Gypsies cardstock using the Stampin' Up flower petals punch.   My son picked out all of greeting cards that filled up the rest of the box.

Here's a picture where you can see the inside of the box and the recipe cards along with the dividers.   I used Gaffer tape to reinforce the hinge.   The Gaffer tape is also from 7 Gypsies.  I used Mod Podge to adhere all of the paper to the box, but I only covered the back of the papers.   The outside of the box feels like paper and doesn't have a sheen.

Here's a close up of the inside.  I tried to finish off the box nicely on the inside too so it would be enjoyable all the way around.
 

Teacher's Appreciation Week - Part 1

Last week was Teacher's Appreciation Week at our school. When I taught card making classes at the school the week before, my daughter's teacher mentioned a gift of cards she once received and how she cherished them.   The hint was well received and we made her a gift of cards. 

I wish we would have had more time for my little 8 year old girl and I to collaborate or more cards.  Here are three cards that's the product of both of our efforts. Angeline stamped and colored these gorgeous images.  I finished them off into cards that we ended up including in the teacher's gift. The set is called Holiday Lineup by Stampin' Up.   I used some Stampin' Up designer series paper, Stampin' Up Cardstock and some printed scrapbook paper by K & Company for the rest of the card.   So these three cards were included in the tin and Angeline got to pick from the my stash to fill up the rest of the tin.

I also have to tell you a little story.   I have a very talented friend in Texas that's also a Stampin' Up demo, Joan Robertson.  She has a fantastic blog that you should check out. Clicky  We met through an online board called Scrapshare and I've had the pleasure of scrapping with her at retreats.   She had a little contest recently and the winner could pick from one of her retired stamp sets.   Well, I won and just knew Angeline would love this set.  Sure enough, she did.  She was giddy when it arrived and couldn't wait to stamp and color.   Thank you Joan for your generosity.

I picked up the tin from Hobby Lobby.  The top half of the tin was colored using alcohol inks by Ranger/Tim Holtz, The paper on the bottom half of the tin is Designer Series Paper from Stampin' Up.  The flowers are Prima and the brad in the middle of the flowers is by Stampin' Up.   I picked up the ribbon at a craft store and don't recall the brand.   I unpackage all my ribbon unless it's a larger roll like Stampin' Up.  The paper is applied with Mod Podge.  I added the ribbon using Scor Tape.  I'm loving Scor Tape.  It's a great product.  It really sticks and is so easy to use. The flower is held on with a combination of Scor Tape and Glossy Accents by Ranger/Tim Holtz used as an adhesive.

The divider cards that you can see in the first picture above were made from Crate Paper printed scrapbook paper, a corner rounder, and Stampin' Up's tag punch. 

Here's a close up of the tin. 

Check back to see what my son's teacher received.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all moms near and far including my mom and my mother-in-law.

The printed paper is by Stampin' Up.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to emboss the banner.   The border punch is by EK Success.  the shape punches are all Stampin' Up.   And the greeting was created on my computer and printed. I used Stampin' Up Dimensionals to raise all of the punched elements.